


Episode 1 : First of the banished

by uddelhexe



Series: Supernatural-Evolution Road [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Apocalypse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fallen Angels, Father-Son Relationship, Flashbacks, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-06 01:02:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15875280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uddelhexe/pseuds/uddelhexe
Summary: AU Post  Season 13/ Episode 23Team free will 2.0 and Gabriel did make it back through the rift, but Mary, Ketch and Lucifer didn't . The rift is finally closed.The team has to manage the slightly broken relationship between Castiel and Jack. Also they have to deal with the issue that comes from the out-burning energy of heaven and the danger of down-falling souls.They will need help to avoid this disaster to happen and that needed assistance will come from some old and some new friends.Can they fix that heavenly problem? Will they find a way to one more rescue the world from its destruction?A lot of Castiel and Jack relationship. Much of the wonderful Dean/Castiel chemestrie I hope and maybe I tend to slide into slight, not smutty Destiel at some time later in that story.Let's see!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope there are some readers out there who help me with this...give some feedback...perhaps some kudos to help me get the motivation to continue witht the story. :-) That'd be nice. 
> 
> Don't forget that english is not my first language. I try my best, but there will be mistakes. 
> 
> I would be glad if someone offers to beta-read my stuff.

**Chapter 1:**

 

 

Three weeks.

It only had been three weeks now. They still didn't know how this all came together. How it was possible to do what they did. Save the world. Again. Find mum, find Jack and bring them back.

Well most of them.

Dean couldn't say that he felt much sorry for Ketch, but in some way his last behavior made the hunter's opinion about the kinky man of letters merc change. Not too much, for he still was one of the most repelling dicks, he ever met. But howewer...this asshole had rescued Mary, and that had to count for something. At least he could pay the outstanding bill to Mary, which he had caused by betraying and nearly killing her. And Dean was sure that the letters man finally died in some kind of piece.

To think of his mother without going crazy was difficult. He could understand her decision. He really did. She never really managed it to match in this new life with Sam and himself as adults…she somehow still was stuck into the past. A past in which her sons still were young children with all their life laying ahead of them. She never got the chance to grow into her role as a mother in the way it should be. Dean always new that it was difficult for Mary to speak to her boys as a mother with the touch of some experience when in fact her oldest son was in the same age as she was herself.

When the chance came up to go her very own way with someone she learned to adore a lot…with an aim that was so noble that it was the right thing for a Winchester to gain…she just took her chance.

But the decision made her part with her boys. Their ways were never meant to go along…just apart.

It was hard for Dean to take that. It was even more for Sam, but Mary was a strong woman and always known for her strong will. And so she stayed in the nearly destroyed apocalypse world to help defend humanity against Michael's army. To strike with the very heart of a Winchester against every evil on that world. A world that desperately needed every warrior it could possibly get. And she was one of the best. Dean knew that. And so he let her go. The third time in his life…and the last time for sure

Sam and Dean both promised not to open the rift to the other earth ever again and as well to destroy every written word about how to do it. So that Michael, if not defeated, would never get a chance to lay a hand on earth. Her home. The home of her boys. Of her legacy.

 

* * *

 

Sam was sitting in the war room talking to Cas and Jack. Jack had grown a lot in his time on the other side of the rift. He had to fight, had learned to kill with his powers. There was still this young and pure angel boy sitting around, but there also was someone else within him. An adult young man with the knowledge of war and suffering…with unclean hands caused of killing on his own kind.

The much Castiel was happy about to have his son back, and his son somehow Jack was, the much could he feel the young half angels grave pain inside. A pain he knew too well from his own experience. He fought a lot of fights in heaven and on earth… lost friends, and not so much friends, his own life even…and hope more often than wanted, but he never wanted any of this for Jack. He thought of the nice room his mother Kelly had made for Jack, before he was born. So innocent and playful. He had wished so hard, that Jack had been able to have a good childhood. But he didn't had a childhood at all. And that he had to learn about war and the feeling to kill at such a young age caused Castiel an immense emotional pain. It was his duty to keep Jack safe and until now…he had just failed in doing so. He would never…NEVER let that happen again to Jack in what way ever possible. He once saw what Jack was capable of…what change he could mean to the world…and he was not willing to let this slip away that easy.

 

* * *

 

_Four weeks before…_

"Cas. Glad you didn't die, buddy,"Dean said relieved as the angel walked down the stair to the war room. "Good news?" he asked when Castiel showed no sign of saying anything. He just gazed at some random point somewhere in the air in front of him.

Dean began to worry. He felt a strange energy coming from Cas that he somehow knew. And he was sure it was a mood he didn't like much. Castiel's eyes appeared to be red. He looked like he hadn't slept for years. Which was true for the angel didn't need sleep, but he rarely really looked like he should lay down immediately and not get up before 12 hours of sleep or more.

He rushed towards his angelic friend and wanted to grab his shoulder to confront him, but Castiel just walked along and headed to the direction of his room without any reaction on Dean. No…Dean didn't like this. Not at all!

Sam just came from the kitchen that moment and nearly bumped into the angel.

"Cas, what…? He didn't get a chance to ask the angel about his trip to heaven, or if they had a chance to locate Gabriel up there, or even why he looked like coming home from a two day bender. Sam looked at his brother questioningly. "What the hell is up with Cas? Did something go wrong?"

"Ask me! I have no fucking clue," Dean answered sounding a bit pissed. "He just rushed in like being totally out of it and said nothing at all. He didn't even look at me. As if I wasn't there. I mean…really not there. That ain't a got sign."

"Yeah..I kinda not like that. Go ask him what this is about. We need to know if he has any chance to find Gabriel."

"If you want to know so desperately why don't you go ask him? I don't like him that weird."

"Dean. You are hat kind of "profound bound" guy, who is needed now. Talk to him! We need to know."

"Why not let Rowena go talk to him"

"Yes…no. GO!"

Dean grumpled something about something that Sam didn't understand…and didn't want to…but started to search for Castiel in his room. When he reached the place the door was closed. Inside it was quiet. Cas wasn't able to fly so he had to be in there. Dean prepared himself for a most unlikely situation and then knocked while saying: "Cas, c'mon! This mission was important. You can't just come in like that with a look like the apocalypse happened just minutes ago and let me and Sam wait for you to get in the mood to tell us what the hell happened in heaven, ok?"

He planned to wait some time to give the angel a chance to answer. But Dean never was known for his patient temper. So it took hardly five seconds to start shouting again: "Cas, if you don't answer in two seconds I just come in and hit you straight in the face to wake you up."

"Dean. Just live me alone for heaven's sake. I will give you report of everything. I just need…some time."

"Time for what? Pedicure? Are you kidding me? Jack and Mary may not have the time for that! "

"I never ask for something, do I? I just ask for some time now. Let it be an hour, perhaps less. I need to be alone."

"What for? Cas. I am your friend. If there is something to deal with, perhaps I can help you."

"I doubt that." Cas' voice was going to die away with every sentence. He didn't sound well. He seemed week. Tired. Dean wanted to give credit to his friends inquiry but then again...shit Cas: He opened the door and entered the room. Everything inside him was telling him, that Cas should not be alone at this time. That a friend was required…even if the angel didn't know.

Dean stopped. Cas was sitting on the edge of the bed and looked up to him now. His eyes where completely red…and there was something else.

"Cas…did you cry?" Dean was shocked by the sight. He saw Cas doing a lot of things. He saw him angry (a lot), he saw him yell, shout, be angry, happy, crazy…and sometimes on the edge of some too emotional state…but real actual crying…he never saw that .

"What the hell didn't reach your mind when I told you to let me alone?" Ah…angry Cas. That was something Dean could deal with: "Man…what is wrong? What did they do with you up there? I told you it was a stupid idea. But you insisted on going there. Did they hurt you? Was there a fight?"

"No. There was nothing like a fight."

"Then what? Speak to me! Please! You know we have a situation here to deal with. I cannot have one of the team go nuts over some issues I don't know and when I need him the most he breaks. And I really need to know what is about finding that dick of chicking Gabriel with his grace on tour!"

"There is no chance for heaven to find Gabriel. We need to find another way to trace him."

"That just is it? That is what messed you up that much?"

Dean watched the angel who looked down to his shoes and remained quiet. "That is not it, is it? What else, Cas?"

Dean kept his eyes at his friend and waited. He didn't want to push him too hard, but he couldn't risk one more thing going sideways in the team. With every moment the urge to leave the room grew larger and the air seemed to stop moving. Castiel still looked at his feet and his eyes started to get wet again. Dean had the desperate wish to leave the room. He had no idea how to deal with Cas in such a mood. Perhaps 'Go and pat him on the shoulder and say something stimulating.

"I just can't…"Castiels voice went down to a whisper. He hid his face behind his hands and began moaning quietly.

"Go!" he demanded from Dean embarrassed that the human witnessed his emotional weakness. Dean was sure that the angel, once Captain of the garrison that protected earth, didn't want him to see him that pale. He was sure it was in the best interest of Castiel's dignity just to leave the room. But what he saw sitting on that bed wasn't an angel of the lord dealing with some issue of proud…it was a friend dealing with dropping into a black hole. He virtually could see him falling. He could feel Cas was losing it and that he needed to be reminded that there was a hold. That he had friends to count on. Friends who cared about his feelings and his wellbeing.

´ _That is going to be the Hell of a chick flick moment_ ´ Dean told himself. He went towards Castiel and took a seat beside his friend.

"Please…not…" Castiel tried to repel the hunter, but Dean just grabbed him and drew on him brotherly.

"Whatever it is, Castiel. Sam and I…we are here for you. We do this together. We get Jack back, we get mum back and we end this shit for all time. Heaven can't help. I give a shit. So they can't. When did they ever do something good for us? For you? We don't need them."

"They all gonna die. Heaven…is going to fall apart." The angels voice was trembling.

"Wait…what?" Dean froze. Castiel wasn't able to speak. He was shivering all over his body. He tried to start speaking again…it broke something inside Dean to see his best friend like that.

"It is over, Dean. I can never go home. There is no home left. It is no longer a matter of choice if I live or die. I have to live. I have to. If I want to, or not."

Dean tried to put together what he just heard. He slowly pushed Cas away from his body. "What do you mean with 'if you want to, or not'. Why wouldn't you want?"

Cas tried to wipe away the tears away with his flat hands and sighed. I started to focus again…put himself together again. Then he looked up straight into the green eye of the older Winchester. Castiels deep blue eyes were clear and shiny.

"I was happy to be out of the Empty. I really wanted to be out of this place with nothing in it but me and my thoughts. But really…If I have had a choice: I think I would have preferred to stay asleep. At least in peace and at the end of my journey of failure. Again and again. I rebelled, it is on me that the angels fell, and so many died. I pushed myself to be like God and killed even more of my brothers and sisters and did again so in civil war. Not even Lucifer caused as much death as I did. I am worse than he ever was! Not he is the devil…I AM. Then I got a chance to make it good again. To heal what I did, but did I take that chance? No! I lost Jack because I didn't watch out better. I lost him a second time when I was not able to comfort him when he needed me to help him with this killed guard and at least I lost him a third time because he went to that apocalypse world to find Mary. What a great father I am. What a perfect angel. There is nothing…NOTHING I ever did right!"

There was a short stop. Castiel was angry…but week in his voice when he started again: " My strength is blown away, Dean. I don't mean my mojo, as you call it. I mean mentally. I barely find enough energy to start every day. To stay, to breath and go on. And now I learned that I am one of 9 angels left in the universe. NINE, Dean. We will go extinct. And it is my fault. I didn't only kill a few hundred…I caused the end of my own kind! A kind that was there from the beginning of all creation! And great Castiel, angel of the lord, killed the whole race. Isn't that hilarious?"

Dean wanted to say something to comfort his friend. To say that it wasn't true. That he didn't cause anything…but he couldn't because he knew he would lie to him. Cas didn't mean to do anything bad at all…but he did. And this burden was lying on him like a heavy stone with tons of weight.

"And you don't know the best part. Not only that my kind will while trying to keep heaven running…they will fail one day and the complete system will break down."

"Means?" Dean began to worry more and more with every second.

"Guess how many souls are stored in heaven since the first of mankind looked into a fountain and realized his own face?"

"Cut to the point!"

"You would not be able to count, Dean. But when heaven's gate falls…the storage- system of heaven will open as well and all souls are set free in one big bang."

Dean looked at the angel with wide eyes realizing what Cas was telling him. "You mean…"

"Apocalypse world will be a happy holiday place compared to what will happen all of us when all souls fall down at once…out of their heavens and walk the earth as restless entities for all eternity. And without a chance to hunt and bring them down because there is no light and no tunnel or whatsoever for them to go into. There only will be earth."

Great. They hardly had a plan to stop Mad Max Michael from high-jacking earth and destroy it, and the next "World's end" scenario was right on its way."

"What keeps heaven running?"

"The grace of us nine angels left. And when our energy is depleted there is nothing to hold back the souls from falling."

Really fucking great.


	2. Let's talk about porn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit more fun in this Chapter. And Gabriel. I love Gabe...he's so sassy. I hope I was able to catch that. 
> 
> I also wanted more interaction between Dean and Jack...so:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still happy for feedback!!!

Supernatural-AU Season 14 /Evolution Road

Episode 1

First of the Banished

**Chapter 2- Let's talk about porn**

 

* * *

 

 

_NOW_

Castiel and Sam were sitting in the library with a bundle of books to read through. Dean had decided that it was time for Jack to learn how to use a gun properly. He said that he would feel much better if he knew the young Nephilim would not only have his dangerous powers to use for self-defense. And actually Dean was tired of going through the records over and over again. He thought that it was best to let this be a job for the team nerds which left that business to Sam and Cas.

He felt the gun range being his comfort zone. There was this nice smell of black powder and hot metal on the floor. Going to shoot some targets reminded him of the times when his Dad began to teach him in weaponry. There was a lot that sucked in doing the job, but he actually liked the gun part a lot. It was a matter of concentration and will. One had to focus and be calm to take aim properly. It composed himself a lot just to look for the target and let the shot going to happen. It felt easy and liberating.

Perhaps Jack would like it as much as he did. Perhaps this at least this was something useful he could teach the boy. They hadn't have good start, but he felt sort of brotherly for Jack now. The boy tried hard and had the heart in the right spot. He was a good person to be and Dean knew he had to give him a chance to be loved. He deserved that after all he went through and what he did for the family.

"Try not to hard, boy. Just let it happen." he instructed Jack. The young man's hands shivered a bit because of the weight of the gun. He wasn't as strong as Cas and didn't worked out on his strength the human way a lot. One eye closed Jack tried to focus on the paper that Dean had attached to the wall at the end of the gallery.

"And don't forget to breathe, Jack! If you hold on the air you will begin to shiver even more. And don't wait for the shot to come. Just pull the trigger and don't wait for anything."

**BANG!** The gun was smoking and Jack struggled a bit. He nearly dropped the gun when the repulsion kicked the bullet out of the weapon, but luckily he didn't. "That was interesting, "he said amazed at what just happened. Did I hit?

"Sure. Something you hit, „Dean started laughing," but not Edward."

"Who is this Edward anyway?"

"Uh…I didn't like Vampires at all, but after that Glitter-Mary-Sue-Chicken-Love-boy-Vampire Movie with this sparkling jerk loving a hormonal overdosed teenage girl…I almost felt sorry for what they did to their legacy. Truly: Not even Vampires deserve such an image. That is ridiculous."

"I should watch that movie to get a reverence, shouldn't I?" Jack asked with an innocent voice. But Dean grabbed the boy's shoulder with a manly grip:" I want to protect you what includes to protect you from watching such bullshit. I had a time off and I'd better had spend that time on watching porn as usual."

"I heard about porn. You watch that a lot, don't you?" Dean was about to blush a bit. A manly blush of course it was.

"Hey! You sound like Sam! And I do NOT watch porn more often than every other guy in my age."

Jack smiled happily: "Than we should watch such a movie together and you tell me all about it."

"That's not gonna happen kiddo. I once, and I mean one time accidently, had to witness your father watching such a movie. That picture was burned deep into my memory. Way…WAY to deep. I will never be able to think of Pizza the way I did before that day and I tell you what I told Castiel: Dudes do not watch such movies together. Once you are old enough you go to your room, hopefully lock up the door and discover what the internet has to offer on your own. And handle the consequences on your own."

Dean felt very uncomfortable by talking about that issue to Jack. Though the boy appeared to be in the age of a young adult, he still was not more than three years old and that kinda was weird to handle. In a weak moment Dean wondered if Jacks sensitive areas already were behaving like his physically aged body normally would demand to do, but tried to get rid of that idea instantly. He couldn't avert to picture a scene with Jack running from his room with joy and excitement and telling everyone about his first morning boner.

"Is everything fine, Dean? You look is strange."

"Everything is fine. Just fine. Let's try again on shooting. Don't take too much time for aiming. Just imagine the target, raise the weapon, keep rear and front sight in one line and let it go."

Jack took a deep slow breath and refocused to the paper. He raised the gun in an unhasty motion. A short moment of taking accurate aim and again a BANG. Dean was surprised how good the motion was suiting Jack and how steady he seemed to be. And this time Dean hadn't to look at all if there was a whole in Glitter-Vampires pretty face. It was. Not in the middle of it, but close. 'That boy has some talent' Dean thought. He knew he was gonna like to practice together with Jack. It not only reminded him of the good times with John, but as well a lot of his time with the younger Sam. He thought of the times, when he and Sam would stand in the middle of a wood and some cans or bottles arranged on a fallen trunk. He loved to teach his little brother and it was a wonderful thing to rerun these moments with the young Nephilim. He dared to feel free of their problems for the next hour of practice with the youngest team mate. This felt like family. And it was a damn good feeling he had been missing for longer than wished.

 

* * *

 

Sam kneaded the bridge of his nose tiredly. It had been weeks since they started to search for a way to supply Heaven with fresh energy. To find another source to charge at least that part of heaven that was holding the souls of the dead. They didn't find much yet. It was exhausting to go over the books over and over again. He wished he could change places with Dean for once. "I need a coffee. Want something?" He looked at Cas who stopped reading. The angel looked to the side.

"Coffee sounds good."

"Really?" Sam sounded surprised. Sure, he always asked Cas of he would like to have something for this was a good manner, but he never actually expected an positive resonance from him.

"You seem confused. Is there a problem with the coffee?"

"No, it is just: you never want something. You always tell me that you don't need to eat, don't need sleep. I was just wondering what is different today."

"I just think I should, how could I phrase it, do more to 'fit in'. Not feel so separated from you and the others."

Sam took a glance at Castiel. "Why would you feel that way? This never was a problem for Dean and me. It is ok to be different cause, well, you are!"

"I know. But you are wrong. It is a problem now. If I am awake at night when all others are sleeping, every night, not joining the meals or whatsoever, I am always kind of an outsider. And I have to fit in better for Jack is different and has requirements I need to understand. I have to know about that and get a feeling of what his day is like and what his needs are."

"That is actually very sensitive of you, Cas. I never thought about that from your perspective. So, coffee it is. With milk, or sugar?"

"What does Jack like?"

"Both."

"So I try it his way. Walk a bit in his shoes."

Sam walked away thinking that Jack was lucky to have a father caring so much about how to get along with his child. Though Castiel wasn't Jacks biological father, he did a great job. Even more according to the fact, that he never had the chance to practice in any way. He didn't even have an own childhood to remember. Sam thought of that situation to be difficult for Cas. But the angel adapted well and if Kelly could see what her guardian angel was trying to be for her son, she would be happy and proud of him.

Sam came back with two coffee pots in his hands and placed one in front of Cas.

"Did you tell him yet?" Sam asked Castiel unexpectedly.

"Tell what?"

"About heaven. How bad it is. I mean: really is."

Castiel took a deep sip of the coffee and stared at the fluid, as if he would like to sink into it at this very moment just to escape the answer: "No. I didn't find a good moment for it. And I do not know how to tell him anyway. I think my own feelings are standing right in the way."

"How do you feel?" Sam asked smoothly. He knew the angel for so many years now and he knew, that in spite the fact that Castiel seemed to get along with whatever happened to him or the world or his friends, he somehow was able to keep everything up. But since he was back from the EMPTY something changed in his aura. Sam had sensed it at once. It was in the look that Castiel had, when he was watching the brothers, or when he was doing another move to keep things going. It was as if Cas brought something of the emptiness with him and it dug deeper into him by every passing week.

"Honestly? Powerless the most time and I start to think that maybe we will not be able to do anything about all this. I keep going through the motion but I need …well, I have no idea what I need to get the hope back." The angels shoulders hang down way too much and there was no shine in his eyes.

"We have been in worse situations."

"Sam. We haven't. This is not an enemy we can fight if we just find a weapon strong enough. It is about the extinction of a race that is holding the universe together since everything was born. Force will help nothing in this situation. There is nobody Dean can punch in the face and nobody you can talk to. No angel and no prophet can give us any help."

Sam never heard Castiel speaking that weak. Even when God was absent and Cas wasn't able to find him he never was that hopeless. There always was that kind of spark inside him. This tiny bright light that made him rebel. Sam wasn't willing to give up. Neither on the situation, nor on Castiel's person. He knew that there was something they just didn't see. Something they missed. And the only clue was to find that spot and poke it long enough to show itself.

"What if we went towards that problem from a wrong direction? Let's try to analyze it differently." He started. "What is making the angels going to extinct?"

"Besides wars, my personal overkill in heaven and the fall?"

"That is not the point. Humanity had been on that edge of extinction several times in the past thousand years. Why do we survive while angels bleed out?"

"I don't get the point."

They went silent and their minds started thinking. Castiel was blocked by the pictures of him standing in masses of dead bodies. Dark angel wings branded to the ground. The sound of fading graces when he stabbed angel over angel. This awful bright shining of life energy leaving the human vessels to go for their eternal sleep in the Empty. He wasn't able to run away from all this guilt. It felt so heavy he nearly could breathe.

Sam broke the silence. I thought it would be helpful to think aloud so that Castiel wasn't able to drift away.

"Humans were decimated a lot of times. After that our population recovers sometimes faster, sometimes slow. How do the numbers of angels normally recover? I mean in the past?"

Cas looked at him wondering why he was asking such a stupid question.

"We didn't recover our numbers."

"What happened after a war in which angels were killed? What happened after the fight against Amara the first time she was captured?"

"Father…"Chuck" made new angels. A lot. There was plenty of work to do. And then he made some more when earth was started and when he came up with the plan of building a new kind of intelligent beings."

"How old are you?" Sam imagined how incredible awesome it would be to know how all the history of the planet had happened. To see the oceans grow bigger over all these years, the land go dry and the first mammals walking the earth.

"I am one of the last generation of angels ever made. I was one of the Seraphs that were built to protect earth and the creation that was settled here. I never visited other systems or planets. I always was around here to watch earth developing. I enjoyed watching evolution and how everything father planed came together." Sam sensed a slight undertone of sorrow in the angels speech.

"There had been wars after that. What happened after them?"

"Nothing happened. Father didn't make new angels. And then there was the fall of Lucifer and father left us."

"So you never recovered your population from the last wars?"

"How should we do that?"

"Is being made by god the only way to create more of your kind?"

"There is no other way I am aware of."

Sam was wondering why Chuck created a race able to die but not able to create new ones. If he did this on purpose it seemed a bit cruel to the young Winchester. It was a good way to make sure that the ones intended to follow would not get out of line. When not done out of cruelty it appeared to be very clever leastwise.

"How exactly did Chuck make angels. Is it just a snip or is it something like a ritual?"

"I don't know, Sam. For me it was kinda: I was there, I had a duty I did what I was told to. And so did every angel born."

"Born just like: Bang?"

"Just like bang. I think."

Sam took notice of the last sentence intensively:" You think? What is that supposed to mean?"

"Means that it is like I read about childhood in the books when I had to prepare for Jack. There are years I don't remember. I don't even remember how long that was. It just is kind of dizzy in my memory, perhaps someone like Naome erased it. Maybe it was training, or a part of the building process. But for there is no older angel to tell us, we cannot ask."

"Isn't it? What is with Gabriel? He was there before any of you was born. Perhaps he remembers?"

"What for, Sam? Nobody I know has the power of God. So even if Gabriel does remember anything...it won't do anything helpful."

Sam thought they should give it a shot. The problem was that angels weren't capable of increasing their population. They were made by one entity, and not able to help themselves. But perhaps there was a way and they just didn't know.

"Call him! Ask him if he is in the mood for a little chat, "Sam recommended.

Castiel thought that this would be totally effortless but although he began to pray to Gabriel. He opened his mind to a not often used channel of the angel radio and started to shout out for his older brother as well. Gabriel had told them not to contact for no reason for he needed time to recover from the decantation of grace and as well to heal the mental wounds Asmodeus caused in him. But as Sam said: it was worth a try. In the worst case Gabe wouldn't show up. In the very worst case he would and would be not a help at all. Cas could not imagine what a "good case scenery" would look like.

"I told you not to call me if it wasn't very urgent. Who's dead or stepped into hell's kitchen or whatsoever?" Gabriel leaned against the table with one arm and had the other hand on the hips. He looked much better than weeks ago, but still far away from his old self.

Sam raised from his chair and walked towards the archangel: "Good to see you. How've you been."

"Busy with pleasure and recovery. And as much as I like it to hang around with you Winniebros I would rather go back to the pool I just left."

Cas mourned:" A pool. That our kind is in a big need for your presence escaped your attention, didn't it?"

"No it didn't. I just can't do anything about it. Heaven is sucking on my battery anyway. No matter if I'm enjoying my time down here or bore myself to death up there. The entertainment is more than lousy in heaven and being surrounded by depressed brethren doesn't make it any better. So: thank you, but I will stay on earth. And now cut to the case: you wanted something. Hurry up, Bro!"

"Actually I wanted to ask you something that only you might have a clue about." Sam cleared his throat.

"And what would that be that your porn addicted brother can't tell you?" A big grin from the archangel reached Sam who felt ashamed a bit. The younger Winchester sighed and ignored that last sentence completely: "We didn't get a hint on bringing new energy to heaven from elsewhere than angel-grace…"

"Surprise, surprise, "Gabriel shouted out sarcastically.

"…so I decided to think of the problem from a different direction. If we cannot bring new batteries to heaven, why not try to find more of the source that was designed to run the business."

"Yeah...and I am gone. They are all dead moose! It is not that we just have to shell some angels out of ones teeth or look under the carped to find some Naome didn't. Or just go to a company and order some new ones."

"And why not?"

"Why not..why…are you going insane or did you wash your hair too long?"

Sam tended to ignore the jokes about his hair like always. He just gave Gabe a short taste of THE LOOK and went on: "You were there when the younger generations of angels were made. What was it like. What did God use to "make" them?"

"Glitter Juice? What the hell do I know about that? It was just his power to bring them to life. Like: oh look I made a filthy black evil creature that eats the hell out of all creation…isn't that wonderful? And so was it with us: look: Sparkling little fellows that do everything I want if they know what I want, or they don't. Hussa!"

Sam was very happy Chuck was far away. Lucifer was not the only Archangel with Daddy issues in town. And surely not less sarcastic to that matter.

"I mean: they just appeared or what? Were they born adult, or like it was with Jack?"

"Of course they not were born adult. That is ridiculous, Sam. They were fresh grace without any knowledge of their powers. Their shape just wobbling around the universe. But not pooping toddlers like you humans. They had everything the need, they just needed to learn how to use it and evolve some sort of personality. That is all."

"Why does Cas not remember?"

"He doesn't? Don't know. Perhaps they were purged like all soldiers after a lot of missions. What do you think it is to be like old like us and remembering every bad moment in your eternal life, he? That ain't fun, Samster. Even though the lower angels, no offence brother, were not built with a desire for free will and conscience. They just were meant to follow. Castiel like he is now…he would have killed himself after the first hundred years of service. It only took eight years in your service to crash him into that depressed shell of himself you see sitting over there."

"You know I can hear you, Gabriel?"Cas said angrily.

"Jeah, whatever. Look at yourself and tell me I am wrong. Ah...thought that."

Sam wasn't finished. An idea was growing inside his head: "Did you ever try to reproduce yourself?" Gabriel began to laugh out loud. With tears in his eyes he looked at Sam: "Oh hell I tried a lot and over and over again. Just yesterday I tried myself nearly to death in reproducing." He didn't stop laughing a very dirty and sheepish laughter. Sam rolled his eyes: "I mean angel to angel interaction with certain reproductive outcome."

Castiels jawbone dropped open and he stared at the youngest Winchester with horror in the eyes. Gabriel was about to die over laughing.

"That is just too…oh you…no idea…look at Cas…this is hilarious!" Gabe had to take a seat and put his head on the table. He chuckled and there was no chance to stop him. Once he tried to and raised his head and started to look at Sam…then at Castiel and it busted out of him again.

Castiel didn't think this to be funny and Sam had no idea what could be so funny at all. Finally Cas had pity with his friend and started to talk:" We are not designed to have…such sort of relationship. You do recall that we don't even have a gender in our true form, don't you?"

"But you call yourself a "he" and there had been angels summoned in female terms. I thought that somehow there is a difference."

"Well, you were wrong. It isn't. I had a female vessel for years. Did that make me female?"

"So you don't feel male?" Sam was wondering. He never gave the fact that Cas once had a female vessel much attention.

"This is different. I am stuck to this vessel for so long now and I even was completely human with it…with all the urges that went along with that. I was hungry, I had to use a toilet, what still is a disgusting memory, and had sexual intercourse…"

"Wait, you what?" Gabriel stopped laughing. Now his complete attention was on his younger brother. His shelmish grimace appeared terrifying to Cas."Tell me Cas: with that stick up in your ass…how was it to have "sexual interaction"?"

"Quiet pleasant I have to admit. And stop saying that stick thing! That is not nice."

Sam used the chance to pop up on the ship: "And he had his defloration with a reaper." His grin was nearly as jokingly as Gabriel's and suddenly the tears of joy started to fill Gabes eyes again. He nearly yelled in laughter and Sam was afraid the Archangel would be going to explode any second.

A few awkward minutes later Gabriel was able to calm down. He looked at Sam again and tried to start some sort of a useful communication: "Well, Sam, it was a good idea, for a monkey to think: Hell, why don't they just start to bang around a bit up there and make some baby angels, but that isn't going to happen. The physiognomy of our kind is not built to rebuild new energy. Even if the gender theme would not be a problem: where to store the youngsters? We do not have bodies in our true form that are able to hold foreign energy. And I never thought of angels to lay eggs like birds. Though it is really funny to imagine that."

"Sam, the idea was not bad, but we have to go another way."Castiel added.

Sam wasn't finished with his thoughts. Maybe the direct way was impossible, but he wanted to keep that in mind. While watching Gabriel still making fun of Cas and the other angel begging that his brother would stop, Dean and Jack entered the room.

"Oh look what the cat just dragged in! Gabe, I thought you were drinking Mai Tais in some resort or doing something even more relaxing."

"I did. But our little brothers decided to have fantasies of copulating angels in the sky. And so I am here to help them out because of their lack of fantasy."

"Please tell me you did not discuss such things as angel-sex with Gabriel!"

Sam embarrassed scratched his neck and Cas was suddenly interested in a point far away in the war room. ' _Great, Dean thought_. ' _They were supposed to find a battery for heaven and instead they were talking about angel porn with the greatest porn trickster ever_.' Jack was smiling over his complete face: "Oh, that is good. Dean and I were talking about porn lately and I told him that I would love to watch some."

Gabriel stopped breathing, looked at Dean and back to Castiel: "Sorry…I have to go or I am going to explode. One more of this funny shit and I will move in here right now. I didn't know you all were so damn funny." With a loud laughter Gabriel disappeared and left team free well 2.0. alone in the library.

Jack was looking very innocent and didn't understand what was so funny. But he was sure Dean and Sam and as well his father would explain it later. He walked towards Castiel and stood before him with proud. Castiel smiled at Jack. It made him happy to see him so full of energy.

"I am a good shooter, Father. Dean said I did very well and that he will teach me next how to shot very fast. If I am doing good, he will give me a prize."

"That is wonderful, Jack. But I will not allow Dean to show you any of his nasty films. You promise me to come right to me if you have any questions about human reproduction, don't you? The films Dean watches are not very…teachable." He glanced to the older Winchester with a severe gaze. Dean shrugged and formed words with his lips like 'I didn't mean to'.

The older hunter looked at his brother and realized how tired Sam seemed to be. He made a decision:"Guys. We make a break here. You will not find anything when you don't give yourself time to recover. And I have to admit: I am starving! Let's have some dinner."

„I will go to he kitchen and…"

"No,no,no,no…you will go take your purse and we get the hell out of here. I want to see if the sky still is blue or what. Burgers on Sammy. Meeting at the Impala in three."

"What you're talking about: Burgers on me?" Sam asked hastily, but Dean already had left the room.

"I will try some too this time. Long time I didn't eat." And only seconds later Cas left the room with Jack at his side. Sam stood there looking after the gang. He shouldn't feel that happy with a new apocalypse right on the way, but he did at this very moment with his brother, Cas and Jack. This was family and there was nothing this family would not be able to face.

 

* * *

 

I really enjoyed the scene with Gabriel and dirty talk with Sam. I hope you did so too!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So..in this part you learn about some new characters that will be in the storyline for a while. 
> 
> Team free will meets some people, who did hide very well...and who could be a very important part of the solution for the heaven problem. But what can they do do convince them to help?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still no beta so have mercy with my language.  
> I am always happy for helpful feedback

**Chapter 3** \- Meeting

 

 

"Oh, that so much was time for lunch," Dean sighed. He watched his emptied plate cleared by the waitress. He felt the comforting weariness after a really big meal falling down on him. The best thing to do next would be: search for a couch, lay down and have a nice little nap. But he knew Sammy wasn't in the mood for such a long break. And neither was Cas.

The angel and his son were sitting at the opposite side of the table talking to each other. For someone not knowing they just met a few months ago, it was like watching a normal father having a nice day with his teenage son. Dean had to admit, that he liked the interaction of the two of them. There had been a lot of funny moments only someone like Cas would be able to produce with his angel-like habits. And mixed up with someone acting so innocent like Jack gave it the taste of a comedy duo at work sometimes.

Jack was looking like he had a great day until now. He looked at the brothers.

"We are going back home now? I would love to have more training with human weapons." He glanced at Dean waiting for an answer. Dean looked at him generously.

„Well Kid, I think we could have another lesson or two, but I think it only would be fair to join the research crew in looking for the heaven problem."

Jack nodded responsibly: "You might be right there, Dean. This sounds quite fair. I like doing research much. So I don't mind schedule our lesson to another day." He still seemed pleased with the outgoing of everything and Dean really felt like being the only one in the gang not getting thrilled over being buried under books again.

Dean glanced at Sam: "So…research again, hugh? Well than: Sammy take out some bills and let's go have some fun in the library."

The older Winchester was nearly rising from his seat when he realized Castiel still sitting frozen in his chair watching some unknown point in the restaurant. Dean began to worry. Cas appeared completely baffled and somehow shocked at the same time. Slowly the angel began to raise from sitting into a glumpsy standing…still staring.

Dean tried to catch sight of what Cas was looking at. But he didn't get the point. There were a lot of people around and he could only guess that it was about a person in here. When the younger Winchester began to speak Dean realized that his brother had sensed Cas' reaction too.

"Dude, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I might have," the angel answered with his usual a rough voice and as well very silently. Jack looked confused and suddenly his face brightened up a little. He touched his adoptive father's arm: " I can sense it too, father. Why are you looking so appalled?"

Castiel didn't move to look at Jack and just answered quietly again:" I don't sense anything. I detected someone familiar the human way. I recognized the vessel. But this can't be."

Dean hated it when the angel spoke in riddles and in a slight unamused and with impatient tone he said: "Dudes, I hate this! What the fricking hell is going on? Speak to me, Cas!"

"There is another angel inside this facility," Jack answered instead of Cas. A surprised experience appeared on Dean's face. Didn't tell him Castiel just about a few weeks ago that there were less than…what ten or twelve angels left on the planet? And most of them sitting in heaven trying to stop the whole thing from falling apart?

"Doesn't every angel more on this planet appears to be something…, well, good? Cas? We should go talk to the "hopefully-not-a-dick-dude" and get her or his feathered ass up to heaven!" Dean tried to get a glimpse what his friend was thinking by studying his face.

"I don't think so, Dean. If this angel would have wanted to be found, she would not have warded herself so extremely."

"Warded herself: Like you did with your body?"

"And like you tried to do with mine," Jack asked interested. Cas nodded. Dean followed the direction Cas was looking at an spotted a dark skinned young woman grabbing her red leather Jacked from her seat and start to leave the restaurant.

"Nerveless we should start to follow, shouldn't we," he asked hesitantly.

A short nod of the angel was the only answer Dean and Sam would get and already Castiel started to rush towards the doors.

"Crap!" Sam hardly handled it to throw the bills on the table, with way to much tips in it, and ran after his brother out of the restaurant. They nearly bumbed into Cas who was standing on the parking ground in front of the building.

"What?" Dean asked.

"I lost her sight."

"I didn't," Jack said happily, also a bit proud sounding, and went forward to lead the group. Dean didn't hesitate to go after the young angel. Though Jack had a bit of experience in fighting and whatsoever after he came back from apocalypse earth he still felt protective about the young man since he accepted him into the team and as well the family. Castiel and Sam weren't far behind. Cas was looking worried. For they were not running Sam had some air to speak to his friend: " You do not look pleased. Is there a fight about to come when we reach this sister of yours?"

"Honestly? I don't have a clue. She was not a warrior at heaven. More in the staff and organization devition. Technical support if you want to put in your way. She wasn't trained in fighting and I barely met her."

"Why would she hide?"

„After the fall a lot of my siblings tried to hide from the different fractions who wanted them to choose their site or die instead. Maybe she did it since then. Maybe she does not know about the problems upstairs and that the war has ended."

„Or maybe she doesn't care?" Sam tried and looked pitiful at his angelic friend.

"I can't think that that was so. If heavens wards fall nobody will stay unharmed on earth. Even if she is willingly living amongst the humans and has no intention in returning to heaven…there will be consequences for her life down here as well. I cannot imagine that someone of my kind is not aware of that fact."

"You turned down angel radio for some time in the past. Perhaps she doesn't know."

„Let's hope this is the case. If we reach her I should start to speak."

Sam nodded for he didn't know what to say to a rouge angel anyway.

Jack walked ahead confidently and turned left at the next corner, when suddenly a sharp chill filled the air. Castiel began to run to reach his son, but it was too late. The woman they were following had waited behind a corner and was now holding on Jack with an angel blade at his throat.

"Do not move any further boys. And your answer better be a good one on my next question: Who are you, and why are you following me?" the female angel demanded to know. She looked alarmed and seemed pretty serious about her business.

Castiel raised his arms in a defensive way and showed that he had no weapon in his hands. He drew nearer at the woman and Jack.

„We are not here to harm anybody, Sayriel. That was your name, right?"

"You are not known for your mercy with those not walking your path, Castiel."

"That were other times. And it was war. I am not interested in fighting any of my siblings for there are not many left."

"Yeah. Whatever. Just go away and let me alone! Why are you following me if not meaning to kill me?"

Jack didn't seem worried about his situation a bit. He just looked confused about what Sayriel said about his father.

"He is a good and righteous man, my father. Don't speak of him like that! And we weren't meant to harm you. We're actually very happy to find another angel. We followed you to ask about help."

A short and dry laughter was what came from Sayriel after that. She pulled Jack away and stared at the group with her blade still raised. Her gaze wandered from one face to the next and at the end she pin pointed at Castiel again.

"I cannot help you in whatever your business is. I just want to be left alone."

"Heaven needs you desperately! It needs every single one of us!"

"Heaven can bite me straight in the wonderful as of the vessel I am wearing."

"Everything is about to completely fall down."

"Sure" Sayriel seemed incredulous at what Castiel was saying. She looked at him in disbelief.

"I am not kidding or joking about this issue. We are running out of power and even the stored souls are about to fall out of their covens if we do not find a way to supply the system with new energy. There are eight angels up in heaven keeping the complete system going. This won't work forever."

Jack looked at his father with fearful astonishment. Know it was out. Cas had wondered how to tell his son how bad the situation in heaven really was and that they were on the edge of a new and even worse apocalypse right now, but now there was no way to take the spoken words back and protect him from this any further.

"Castiel…why didn't you tell me about how serious the situation truly is?"

"I just was protective, Jack. You have been through a lot lately and I didn't want to worry you more than necessary. Dean told me about the nightmares you are suffering from and I know that you often tend to think you can change things when in fact you can't."

"Yeah…think where he got that idea from," Dean sassed in Cas' direction.

"Wait…he calls you "father". Is he actually your son? Is he a Nephilim?" The woman asked with a hardly interpretable undertone in her voice. Her knife was about to sink.

"If he was…what would that matter change?" Sam was curious and yet a bit alarmed. He sensed something changing in the aura of the woman but couldn't point out if this was a good thing.

"Everything," was her monosyllabic answer. It was simple and was not making sense in any matter to any of the hunters. Dean, Sam and Castiel looked at each other and then gazed back at Sayriel.

"I'm what you think I am. But I'm not a danger. And don't think of myself as abomination. I heard that others angels don't like my kind."

"I'm not like other angels. And I guess that you're not either, Castiel. I never imagined of you to disobey that heavily. I'm impressed."

Cas wanted to tell the female looking angel that he wasn't father of a Nephilim at all…not in the way she thought he would be, but Sam stopped him right away with a gentle touch on his shoulder and a meaningful glance in his eyes.

"You meant "this changes everything". What did you mean by that," the younger hunter asked.

"Are your being followed by any other people? Angels, humans….demons?"

They told her there were no others to follow and she licked her lips. She put out a smartphone, started to type some words and waited. After a short while they heard a short sound of her vibrating device as a sign for a received response. She seemed relieved and looked at Cas and Jack again.

"You trust those humans?"

"The Winchesters are the people I trust most in this universe and in every other one, " Cas answered right away without any sign of thinking about this only a second.

"Fine. Follow me!" She headed the direction in which she had gone before and team free will followed curiously to what destination this unexpected meeting would lead them.

 

* * *

 

They reached a totally run-down part of the town after ten minutes of walking. Dean was wondering why a fallen angel might choose this trashy ghetto area as a fitting home to live in rather than living up in heaven. He rarely could imagine how the life of a white-collar in heaven would look like, but sure as hell not THAT bad.

She headed into a filthy building and walked upstairs inside. The walls had been painted with various unsightly graffiti and brownish speckles of what appeared to be human crap for a lot of years. The air was smelling of piss and mold. The group was still following the young woman and finally got to a huge room with shattered windows, even more graffiti on the walls and some old and dirty furniture in the middle of it.

Castiel at once recognized that some of the wallpaintings were old enochian hiding sigils obviously to cover this place from overview. The complete room therefore was warded against detection from heaven and angels searching for the place for whatever reason.

Sayriel stopped and seemed to be waiting for something…or someone.

Sam and Dean watched at each other cautiously. They didn't like this place at all. There was no way to hide in case of an ambush. No shelter and no escaping to any other direction than the one they'd come from. Shit, no, Dean didn't like anything about this situation, nor did Sam. Dean went closer to and bend over to Cas.

"You think she is trustworthy? This is hell of a good place for a nice trap, " he nearly whispered.

"What reason could she have to do so?" Castiel wouldn't admit, but he thought the same as the two brothers. Too long hunting with the Winchesters…and way too many traps in the past years they'd walked into. He was sure to feel his angel blade still sticking in his sleeve and ready to slide out if needed. If anything funny happened, he would strike back immediately.

They heard clicking noises from a hidden door at the backside of the large room. It sounded much like some high heels penetrating the dirty floor and the sound echoing against the walls. Dean was interested who would come to wear nice shoes like that at a place like this. In his very own vision it was the hell of a hot looking chick walking into the scene. Likely dressed with a short and hopefully slinky outfit.

Actually, the woman approaching them was not quite the catch Dean had hoped to see. She looked at him amused:

"Not what you expected, Mister Winchester?"

He pointed his finger at her face and cockled his eyebrows:

"Not cool, Lady. Didn't anybody tell you that mind reading is a no-go?"

"Oh well, sure it is. But I don't know who you are…I mean personally. It is impossible to not have heard of the famous Winchester brothers, but I tend to check out who is coming to my shelter. So would you."

"Stop it!"

"Have it your way. It is not that there is much to read about in that little mind of yours, champ. But what is with you, brother?" She peered at Castiel who waited quiet for her to give more information about herself and this place. He seemed not surprised about her request.

"You want to read me? I would not like that. I had some bad experiences lately with brethren going wild inside my mind in order to read me or force me to do very unpleasant things. But I can TELL you, that we are not here to harm anybody. I realized Sayriel in that restaurant and simply wanted to ask her if she is possibly willing to return to heaven."

The two women exchanged glances and then looked back at the former angel of the Lord and his son.

The woman walked closer and began to study Jack. She started to walk around him, eyeballed him like some rare zoo animal. Jack stayed calm and simply looked back at her inquisitively.

"And what is your name, young man? I never sensed your energy signature, nor did I see your quite handsome vessel."

"I am not an angel. I mean…not only. My name is Jack and my mother was human. And this body isn't a vessel. It's mine."

"So you are the Nephilim Syriel told me about at the phone. Give me your hand, boy!" She reached for his hand.

But Cas was faster and clenched Jacks hand before she could touch him. His look was wary and adamant. He didn't want to get Jack in any danger and he surely wouldn't let some stranger touch his son's soul nor grace.

"We do not know each other, nor do we know what this is all about. Who are you and what is your agenda on earth? Why are you hiding from heaven? I will not let you touch my son before I do know something…anything about you," Cas growled with his deep voice. His brows were tightened together and he didn't seem to be in the mood to argue about this point.

"Yeah, what he said," Dean endorsed.

"Well. Fair enough. You Earthlings will not recognize my name, but Castiel might remember it. I'm Gajael." Her eyes started to glow in smooth white light by saying her name. She stretched her body and also raised her chin with proud.

Castiel looked at her with a surprised gaze, his eyes wide and then made a short step back.

_Great_ , Dean thought,  _why not some other badass angel to fight with? Fucking great! The day started so wonderful and uncomplicated._

He tried to find out if Castiel was alarmed to fight or just baffled. Another whisper directed to his angelic friend asked _:_ "Fight, flee or friend?"  _Please say friend…let it be a friend. For this once!_

Finally Cas caught himself back together and relaxed clearly. Dean eased himself a bit while Sam and Jack exchanged confused looks.

Jack finally broke the heavy silence with the question everyone, besides Cas, had in mind: „Father, who is Gajael? Do you know her? Is she one of the "good guys?"

Dean instantly wished the boy would stop to speak out every thought in front of strangers. A dangerous and sometimes embarrassing habit that he shared with Cas.

"Gajael was the very first watcher of earth and humankind and he was the first angel cast out of heaven."

Dean looked puzzled and with a sarcastic tone in his voice he asked: "And how is that supposed to be something…ahh..good? Sounds like rouge if you ask me. No offence lady."

"I'm not offended. Thinking of the Morningstar and what he did to you and your kind your thought is understandable." She really didn't seem to take umbrage at his statement and looked back at Castiel curiously. She didn't appear so sure of his reaction to her revelation.

"Cas?"

"Yeah, Castiel. Tell them what the reason for my outcast was! Tell them why I am hiding on earth!"

"She committed iniquity. The very first on earth, so was told to us. And for that she was cast out from angelkind and branded as abomination."

"Well, more like: they wanted to imprison me, but I was faster and was able to hide on earth. Nobody knew this world as good as I did that time, so they weren't able to find me. And I had friends who helped me. Humans with already great wisdom and knowledge in magic and enochian spells."

Sam couln't stop but ask: "What was your crime?"

"I loved humankind too much. Funny, isn't it? Lucifer was cast out for hating, me for loving you."

"How is loving mankind a crime?" Dean didn't get it.

"She had intercourse with humans and there were children born."

All eyes were on Gajael. A sad smile appeared in her face as she spoke:

"Father and the archangels were afraid of the power that was inside my children. They called them abomination. They called them giants to make humans to fear them. And then they killed them all. They killed all my children only because of what they were out of fear for their own positions. I wouldn't stop to interact with humans, and so they intended to punish me for this desire to be close to them to warn all the others not to do the same.

That was how I came here. And that is why heaven can bite me right in the ass."

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...not so long, but I didn't want to wait longer to upload the next chapter. I would be glad for a native speaking beta reader. For every comment about style and language, also about plot of course, I am thankful.
> 
> I hope there are not too many mistakes so it is fun to read for english readers too.


	4. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more flashbacks and we learn more about Gajael and her people.
> 
> Slowly the readers gets to know what happened back in Apocalypse world before they escaped back to earth through the rift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still looking for feedback :-)...well...what can I do do make the writing better? Is the language ok?

**Chapter 4: Hope**

 

They stood in front of the angel, who named herself Gajael and didn't know what to think about her story.

They looked at Cas questionably. He at least should know if everything she told was true, or not. He shrugged his shoulders as if to apologize. Dean couldn't hold it any longer:

"Is that true, Cas? That is what happened?"

Castiel seemed to feel ashamed somehow. He didn't look at his friend: "Basically: yes:"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? Did some "holy" squat- command get down to murder innocent children, or not? That is freakin simple to answer!"

"If you point it that simple than I'm afraid I've to admit, that that was the case."

Dean and Sam remembered the case of Lilly Sunders. They thought of Isham who told his garrison to murder her daughter who was reputed to be a Nephilim. Which in fact she wasn't. That time even Cas, a soldier under Isham's command, was completely ok with this order from his captain. It still made Dean wonder how Cas had been in former times. How he could had done, what he did and what he was told to. It was unimaginable to think of the Castiel he knew today as someone murdering innocent children. When Cas was sent to exterminate Jack…he couldn't do it. His consciousness wouldn't allow such a crime. Maybe Cas felt ashamed because he knew he would have done it without hesitation in the early days of mankind. Or perhaps he did…shit..Cas didn't, or did he? Dean had to ask:

"Did you…had you been part of that killing….?"

"No, Dean!" Castiel's voice was calm and quiet and when he glanced hat the older hunter there was even more shame shining through: "But if they had asked me to do it: I would've obeyed without any thought of questioning the decision, if that is what you really want to know."

And in Gajaels direction he said: "I'm sorry for your loss. I can now imagine what it has to feel like loosing people you truly love."

She stepped closer to the male angel and her face came so close to Castiel's that they nearly touched. It appeared as if she tried to look through his eyes to watch his very Grace but without violating his thoughts the angelic way. Everyone hold his breeze and waited for her judgment. Castiel hold her eye.

"I see that your are telling the truth. You've known love and loss. How long are you living among the humans now, Castiel?"

"For more than six years now. I'm still learning about them. There is still a lot that I don't understand."

"But there you are. Caring for a Nephilim. Being with the Winchesters and protecting them and fighting for humankind. I call that righteous."

"I wouldn't call myself righteous. " Castiels voice nearly broke and came close to a whisper with every word. Gajael raised a hand and placed it gently on his shoulder. She lifted his chin with her other hand and made him look her in the eyes again.

"To be righteous doesn't mean not to make mistakes or having bad decisions. It doesn't mean that every path you go is the best to head. It just means, that your heart is filled with best intentions and that your thoughts are pure and that you do what you do out of love and devotion. And I think that is what I see in your eyes. Castiel, I heard what other angels who came to my shelter told about you. But I always kinda thought that I had to talk to you myself to proof them wrong for your actions didn't seem like that of a selfish person. And wrong they were."

A deep sigh came out of the angel's chest and he seemed to be relieved.

"I know you feel guilty for your loyalty to heaven and what that made you do to innocent. Don't! You didn't mean to harm. And I forgive you. If it wasn't for my love for humankind, I would have been the same way. All loyal…no will."

"What now," Sam asked. He thought of the possibilities with new allies, especially if they were angels. But Gajael didn't seem to be on good terms with heaven.

"What do you expect, Sam?"

"Dude, no mind reading. If you want to know my name, ask for it."

"Had it from your brother," she smiled.

"Whatever, what will you do about the angel problem in heaven?"

"Why should that be a point on my agenda anyway, huh? I told you I am not a fan of the government and I think they would agree. Besides: If I'm doing my work right, they are not aware, that I'm still alive and on this planet. Same is for my flock. I'm thankful for that and wish this to stay that way."

"So you wouldn't help heaven whatever it is?"

"I don't think so, " she answered.

Dean and Sam looked at each other and then at Castiel. They could tell he was thinking hard. There should be a way of opening her mind into the mission. She crossed her arms in front of her body an waited. Than Sam had an epiphany out of the blue: "But you would help to rescue humankind and this planet if you could do it, wouldn't you?"

She raised her eyebrows: „What's you point, Winchester?"

Castiel immediately jumped on Sam's starting train: „ What he wants to say is: there are that few of us left in heaven, that the covens are about to fall and with them the souls they contain."

Gajael made a step back, looking shocked. She widened her eyes and looked at each member of the team free will doubtfully. What they just said…was impossible!

"You're kidding me! To be that desperate the number of angels must be close to extinction."

"Nine."

"Nine what?"

Dean felt eager to land the machine right in her face: "Nine freakin angels in all creation are left. You and your group not included."

There was an awkward silence growing. Neither Gajael, nor Sayriel said a single word. They just stared down as if the floor could change what the brothers just told them.

"Archangels?" Gajael broke the silence with that single word-question.

"One."

"Who?" Her brows were touching each other above her nose. Dean and Sam could imagine that this point was much important to her. She visibly tensed up her body.

"Ehmm…this would be Gabriel. Lucifer and Raphael are dead. Michael is trapped in Lucifer's Cage in hell. But he is not an option right now. He is…mentally destroyed and a threat to the planet at this moment. More than ever."

"I understand. Hmm…Gabriel, huh? Could be worse. Of all the dicks in heaven he was the only one with a real sympathy for humankind and about how pointless the fight of Lu and Michael was. You think of Lucifer being the rebel in the family? That's completely wrong. Luci just was a petulant and jealous child that had terrible Daddy issues. But Gabriel, well…at least he knew how to have fun with Fathers creation." She smirked at the thought of Gabriel as THE MAN in heaven.

"Yeah," Dean smiled silly:" See Sammy? Even angels call other angels dicks." His statement only earned an annoyed look from Castiel and an embarrassed one from Sammy,who really wished his brother would sometimes decide to more think (preferably very quiet) than talk. He further honored Dean with a short moosish eye roll. Dean tried not to stop smiling too fast in his triumph. He knew he was damn right about what he just said.

"I guess we should talk about conditions than, shouldn't we," Gajael started the conversation again on a more professional level.

"I'm not in the position to speak for heavens interest actually," Cas gave to consider.

"Well, I understand. So let's start with a team meeting then. I think you can be trusted enough to become acquainted to the rest of our little flock. But let me talk to them first and explain what the situation is. I don't want to force anyone into anything. This all should be a chance to practice some free will. I hope you agree on that?"

"Of course we do," Castiel answered, though he hoped that no angel would decide to let them down. To let humanity down. This was the chance for all remained angels to show their real confessions about what was wrong and what was right. To restart the system. At least to rescue the world.

Jack was curious and tried one more question to the angel, that seemed to love Nephilim:

"How big is your flock? How many are you? I rarely met nice angels in this world…or any other."

"We are round about fifty I think. Aren't we, Sayriel?" She looked at her companion questioningly.

"Fifty-Two, Boss." The black woman grinned.

"There you hear it: fifty-two." Gajael gave Sayriel a short "" _Boss"…really_?-look and waited for the Winchesters to say something.

A glow of hope just raised in Castiel's face. Fifty-two actually hidden angels on earth. Fifty-two more individuals to stabilize heaven and the human soul-covens. That was more he ever hoped to find and even if this number of angels wasn't enough to do it for eternity it was a beginning. There still was hope. And again a rebel was the one giving it by disobeying. And by living for adoration and love to humankind. All what Chuck wanted for the angels to be…what he wanted them to do.

"Fine. I give you our phone-number so you can call us after you talked to your angel fellas. Tell them that they are needed and that there is nothing to force them. We are willing to meet and explain what they need to know and perhaps we get someone from up above to come down and have a nice discussion about what the future should look like."

"Who had thought of all that," Gajael chuckled directed to Sayriel: " Gajael and her mischievous group of rouge angels rushing to rescue heaven. That'd be hilarious if it wasn't so sad."

They narrowly nodded at each other and Gajael and vanished from the room. Sayriel realized the shocked surprise of the Winchesters and the angels and gave them a smirk: " He was casted out but never "fell" actually. He still has his wings. Nice bonus, if you ask me. See ya later handsomes."

With this words she walked out of the room through the back entrance and left team free will remain standing in the room still looking a bit puzzled.

They turned to face each other and let this all sink into their heads. Sam broke the silence and spoke out what everybody had in mind: " So…we will possibly be able to rescue the world. Again."

Dean stared proudly while walking towards the stairs: " And you thought that having burgers would be good for nothing. You can thank me later for my great timing and my perfect choice of restaurant!"

Sam only shook his head with a friendly smile. Dean would never stop to mention that. He just hoped it would vanish faster than the triumph singings about " _I killed Hitler."_

 

* * *

 

They made their way to the bunker fast for hey had thousand things to arrange and to discuss how to proceed from this point on.

Castiel turned on angel radio and thought of making a call to heaven. But then again he hesitated. Naome couldn't be trusted. If she found out about such a great amount of grounded angels, he didn't know what she was capable to do for the sake of heaven. She was very desperate and Cas considered her to be more dangerous then ever. So he just left a channel open to receive messages.

Standing in the library and watching the wall while doing so, he heard Jack enter the room. The young man looked at Castiel in bewilderment.

"You still seem to be worried. Why is that? Isn't this all…good?"

Castiel didn't want to tell Jack about his reasons for being reluctant with his joy for the new situation. But he had to be as honest as possible for he promised himself not to lie at Jack. He pulled his feelings down a bit and answered his foster son:

"It appears that the good turn in a story often comes with a price. As long as I'm not sure what price that is, I'll just be cautious and will not overreact. Also I think that the fact, that the angels who are able to possibly rescue heaven are with Gajael will not have the joyful feedback upstairs that we'd wish it has. We have to handle this situation very carefully and sensitively."

"You don't think they could start to fight, do you?" A slight panic was heard in Jacks voice. He saw what angels in war were capable of. He saw blood and death in that other world. Michael's world…and it still gave him feelings of being lost and helpless…and dirty by thinking to all what happened back there. What he was able to do and do feel deep inside. He didn't like that person he saw being inside of him. In fact he was afraid of this other "him". Afraid that this other Jack would be someone stronger. Someone like his father Lucifer.

His father tried to get out of this circle of evil a few times. Tried to break out of who he really was deep down.. Tried not to be a spreading cancer of hate and death like his brother Gabriel told him he would be, but he couldn't. It was his rotten core that made that impossible.. A desire to overgrow humanity and also all lower beings and to be adored and loved more than every other creature in creation whether it was an angel or a human.

 

* * *

 

**_ Flashback: Apocalypse world: _ **

 

The truck was on its way to the portal. Jack and Lucifer were sitting in one of the backseats and talking. Neither Dean nor Castiel liked that very much. Lucifer really gave everything to build up a relationship with his son. Dean wasn't sure about the reason why. Still. Maybe Lucifer just wanted to have someone on his site. Someone to adore and love him as a father and giving everything for him. Someone not judging and a proof to God that he was a better father than he had been. But still. It also could be the power Jack held inside. All that things the young Nephilim was able to do and in the wrong hands…with the wrong motives: the outcome could be catastrophically. Dean also was worried about his friend Cas. He knew how desperately Cas was trying to be there for Jack. To be someone the young angel could count on. But at the time Lucifer appeared Jack was all too curious about his absent father and about everything around him, that he didn't talk to Castiel outside of organization things. For Dean it felt like Cas was loosing him. The angel tried so hard to come back to Jack. Did everything he could to come to that world to look for the boy. And in the next second: he just seemed to be a random anybody to Jack.  _That must hurt_ , Dean thought.

Sam who was driving the vehicle also glanced back at Lucifer and Jack with dismay. Gabriel didn't seem to be bothered with his brother more than usual and Mary and Ketch just watched the landscape going by.

"Hey Cas, how are you doing," Dean finally asked. His voice was quite enough that "Team Satan" couldn't hear him.

"Fine. Why do you ask?" Cas seemed to be irritated a bit. But he often was by Dean and his motives for doing something. "Is…everything right with you," he asked back hesitantly..

"Yes, superfine," Dean lied. Cas' blue eyes darted into his. He was searching for the clue.

"Dean, is there something you want to talk about?"

"No…..and you? Something you wanna talk about?" A short glance to Lucifer and back to Cas and finally the angel got it. He sighed and lowered his head.

"You're asking if I like this? Apparently I don't. I think talking to Lucifer isn't healthy for Jack. The devils words are like venom and he can be quiet persuasive. He can dig into your mind. He always seems to find the right words to give someone the feeling to be understood and than he twists everything and uses you just as he pleases. Finding the right words…something I can't do. Apparently."

"That's bullshit! Maybe you lack some verbal finesse sometimes, but more often in a sort of sweet way than an annoying." Dean just noticed that he used the word "sweet" on describing Castiel. He would have liked to take that word back and exchange it with another. Too late. Hopefully Cas didn't detect the little verbal chick flick.

"You think that behavior being "sweet"? Was that a compliment to lift my mood?"

" I didn't mean sweet as in you know… "Sweet". I just meant like…nice…like you know." Dean so much wanted to slap himself right in the face right now.

Cas didn't seem to bother and Dean gave it up.  _So whatever_ …:"So yes. A compliment. Does it work?"

"Feels good to hear something nice once in a while. So I think: it sort of works. Thanks."

Dean began to look thoughtfully at Castiel: " It's hard to make you smile lately. Since you came back from THE EMPTY. You seem depressed. Even more than before. Hell, you never 've been a party guy, but I don't know when I saw you at least smile the last time."

Cas looked down in his lap as if a prober answer could be found there. He knew Dean was right but he just couldn't help it. It was like THE EMPTY had sucked out all happy feelings out of him. There still were memories of laughter and joy, but they felt like being far away and as if they'd belong to someone else. But the pain, the guild and emotions like despair and self-loathing didn't. What also remained was the feeling of just being…empty. As if every day costs all his effort just to face the sun and start walking and talking again. And nothing he did gave him inner peace or something close to it.. At least finding Jack should have filled an empty space inside of him, but just when it started to light up, Lucifer stepped in and killed every sparkle of light inside his head.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt totally useless to the world. To the Winchesters. To Jack.

When he came back he saw, that Sam and Dean already had done a good job on teaching the Nephilim and giving him a nice home and someone to talk to. He wasn't needed to teach Jack. His temper was more like Deans and Sam's. They were much more capable to understand the boy than he did. He didn't feel needed.

It was the same with rescuing Mary. Though his participation made the journey of finding the ingredients for the rift spell faster, the Winchesters hadn't needed him to find them at all. He was sure of that. And they found Gabriel without him as well. So what was the point of staying?

And when they arrived in this dark world: he even wasn't able to keep Sam save from being killed by simple vampires. So why should he be here at all?

With every moment his thoughts went darker and darker. He felt more lost than ever and his will to breathe and walk and face the sun was weakening one step more. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder grapping him tight and Dean searching for his gaze.

"Hey, when this is over and we are back home the two of us will have a nice long chat. Alone. I don't like the look in your eyes a bit. Don't think I don't recognize it. You had that look when you said yes to Lucifer back in that cage and when you suicidally refused to push him out."

Castiel didn't respond to that. He hoped that his feelings weren't that obvious to other people too. Dean knew him too well.

"Hey, pal. I know damn well there are times you feel like walking in a tunnel without the chance of light. But there is. Until you see it, keep looking at me and walk with me, ok?"

Cas nodded. But that wasn't enough for Dean: "I want you to say it."

"OK, Dean. I promise to follow."

"And to talk to me when we're home and that you won't just run away again or doing something worse stupid?"

"I…I won't..." Castiel didn't appeared much convincing but at least he said it. Dean clapped Cas's shoulder gently before his hand was on his gun again and view again on the road.

Sometimes even Cas' forgot about the ability of angels to hear things humans didn't. Cas also missed a short red glowing from Lucifer back in the truck into the seraph's direction.

But Gabriel didn't. The younger archangel watched his older sibling very intensively and twitched his eyes. Their eyes met and Lucifer gave Gabe a short and evilish grin. Gabriel didn't react to that and just pierced at Lu without blinking. He opened a channel:

**_Don't try anything funny, Lu. I will watch you very carefully_** _,_ Gabriel told him. Nobody noticed their talking.

Lucifer answered _: **Don't be ridiculous. I'm not interested in that pathetic soldier, nor in any of these monkeys. But not much longer and my son won't be either.**_

Gabriel sighed and gave Lucifer a last short glance: _**You know nothing about love and devotion, Lu. That exactly is your problem. And unless you learn it, you never will be a father.**_

**_We'll see, Gabe. We'll see._ **

 

* * *

 

** NOW **

 

„How are you?"

„I'm fine, Dean."

„Yeah. You're always fine. Will you contact heaven about Gajael and her Garrison?"

"It's not a garrison, Dean."

"Ok…just a bunch of angels than. Whatever. Will you tell her?"

A long pause was growing between the friends. Then Castiel sighed: "No. Not yet."

Dean couldn't say he wasn't relieved about to hear that. He hated to only think about what that bitch Naome did to Cas. To think about what she would do in her very desperate situation was nothing for silent nights. He didn't trust her a bit. He hoped the same was for Cas. But Dean as well knew, that his angelic friend had a hand for throwing himself between the lines when it came to the sake of heaven, humanity or some certain hunter-brothers.

And there was still this issue Castiel didn't really talk about openly. Not that Dean didn't try to get his friend to open himself to him. He damn well tried. And Cas talked-he did- but since than Dean had that feeling that Cas hid his feelings even more than before. Just not to worry anybody. Or himself.

From his own experiences with that Dean knew too well: this wouldn't work forever.

Every person has its breaking point. The only question that Dean was afraid to face was: How far was Cas away from it…or did he already cross it and nobody realized?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still have no BETA Reader but I tried my best to fix the worst mistakes by myself.
> 
> I am desperate for feedback. Even if it is short.


	5. Destination comes with Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter ...mostly flashback...ok...only flashback.
> 
> I somehow had the feeling...until the end of Lucifer in season 13, that part of the problem that he wasn't able to change for the better was the lack of someone who was by his side to help him finding benefit in doing so. To have a little faith that it was even possible. I still think that the fact they left him behind in the apocalypse world was the last nail to seal his backfall into being totally evil. 
> 
> So forgive me for giving him this little faith...but not with the risk of going wrong with it.
> 
> The end of Lucifer how I think it had been better.

** Chapter 5: Destination comes with Goodbye **

 

 

It now was four days since they met Gajael and Sayriel in that house. They wondered how long it would take to contact her flock and give away all the information they needed to decide what to do next.

Sam was using the time continue searching for further methods on fixing heaven and building up a database for spells that might become useful to that issue. Castiel was helping him at first, but later he began to binge watch another Netflix series that caught his attention while being up all night.

Jack and Dean just had gone back to their shooting lessons and included simple martial arts training to the agenda. With Jacks body strength he was quite a good fighter but he should learn how to use this force controlled and not always the smiting way.

There were times Jack had hurt people by getting in rage. Even his own father. Every time the young man thought about that very day his throat was going to get tight and he couldn't look Castiel in the eye. His father always told him, that he knew he didn't mean to hurt him that badly, but when Jack thought of the reason why he slammed him right in the heart, metaphorically and literally…he couldn't help but feel like a monster…

 

* * *

 

_** Flashback: Apocalypse world ** _

 

The air was waving alongside the little rift in the air that still was shimmering and wobbling in golden and red colors. It could be seen it would close very soon. Without Lucifer's Grace…the Winchesters weren't quite sure why it was still open anyway. Rowena must have found a way to keep it from closing. They jumped out of the truck and packed their bags to finally leave this terrible place. Mary hesitated and Dean was highly alarmed at once. Something at the way his mother was looking at him and Sam…he didn't like it at all.

"Mum, what's going on? You have something in mind. Spit it out!"

Mary looked at the floor as if to search for something to help her to get the next words out of her system. Dean had a terrible idea of what was going on inside his mother. He knew too damn well.

"Dean. Sam. You know I love you so much! I'm so happy we had all this time together that never was supposed to be ours, but…"

Dean couldn't say a word.  _Mum..no!_

Sam made a slow step towards his mother and his voice sounded weak and rough when he said:

"You won't come with us, will you?"

_Mum!_

Castiel reached Deans side and took place next to his friend. Jack wasn't able to move.

"No. You can't just stay here. This is not your home. You have to go with your sons. You're their mother!"

Jack's voice crackled He gazed at Mary with astonishment and disbelief. Didn't she love her boys? Why wouldn't she want come with them? To be family with them again. Most notably knowing about what the Winchesters went through to get their mother back from here.

Mary let out a heavy sigh. She knew Dean and Sam would understand by mind but not by heart. She put her shoulders back and looked both sons straight in their wonderful eyes. Moisture was climbing up Deans eyes. So was it with Sam's.

"Look boys. I love you more than my life. You know that. But you know what else I know? Our world needs you. Both of you! You rescued the planet several times. You gave everything for family. Every one of you has a better feeling and understanding for what family truly means than I've ever had. I'm so proud of you. I couldn't be more. But there are fighters needed here. Really needed! This world isn't suffering from angels in the first place…it is suffering from a lack of Winchesters. Someone should fill this up and beat these angel asses back to eternity. And this can't be you. And not you, Jack. It has to be me. It always had to be me."

"But, Mum," Dean tried.

"No, Dean. You know I always felt like I don't belong since I came back? Remember? I know this world somehow sucks, but you know what else: I feel needed and it feels right to be here. I feel like I belong here. Can you understand this? And you? Sammy?"

Dean searched for his brother's eyes. He was searching for help. To get Mary to her mind again. She couldn't be serious. To choose this trashbag of a universe over family? Again? She couldn't! But Sam wasn't helping. Not a bit…

"I understand," Sam said.

_Wait…what?_  Dean couldn't believe what he just heard. Was Sammy insane?

"I thank you Sam." Mary walked over to her youngest child and embraced him as tightly as she could without hurting him. Sam wrapped his long arms around his mother and put his head on hers. The mother he never knew as a kid. The mother he just found and was about to lose again. But he knew by heart that he couldn't hold her. Nobody could. Never. And that was something to admire his Mum for. She was strong and straight with her feelings. And she knew her strong boys were very able to look for themselves. She didn't leave them in danger. Well, not more than always.

And he saw her interacting with the Bobby over here. There was something going on. The way they looked at each other how respectful they spoke. Maybe a second chance for the both of them.

"Dean…please…don't leave me with anger in your heart. Let this not be the last thing to be remembered!" She begged with tears in her eyes. Dean couldn't move. He wanted to, but he couldn't. Finally he felt a hand at his back pushing him in Mary's direction. Slowly his legs began to move. The hand was still pushing gently and he felt a warm prickle at the area it touched him. He knew Cas was trying to comfort him. Give him the strength he needed to face this farewell. This very last one. There would be no more. His mother would be gone forever. Even in heaven he would not find her because she was not in his heaven.

_Have faith_! It told inside his head. It wasn't his voice. It was Castiel's. And he was grateful his friend was with him.

The Winchester family embraced altogether and sobbing could be heard from within the circle of arms from time to time. When the boys finally let her mother go her eyes were wet and red. She wiped away some of the moisture with her arm. Then she faced Jack who had already had tears running down his cheek.

"I won't let you stay here, Mary!"

"Jack. I told you about free will. So did Sam and Dean…and Castiel. Free will comes with sacrifices. It also means to respect other peoples will. You might be able to force me into our home-world. But that wouldn't make it right. And deep inside your heart you know that. That's what makes the difference between good and evil. It's the choices we make."

Jack let his head down and shoulders hang.

"And you know," she came closer to his ear and wispered: "You might not have noticed it, but your father needs you much right now."

Sam looked back at Lucifer with wonder in his eyes and then glanced back at Mary. She shortly shook her head and looked over to Castiel instead, who was comforting Dean. Jack's eyes widened in even more astonishment. Mary gave him a sad smile.

"Believe me. Those who seem strong are the most broken ones mostly. I don't know him for long, but he's one of the most loving and caring people I've ever met. This has the streak to destroy a person if there is no balance in it."

"What do I have to do?"

Her smile widened: "Just be there and need him. That's what children do when they're young. And to see your children growing strong until there comes the day they won't need you any more makes parents become stronger day by day."

Jack understood and smiled back sadly. They gave each other a warm and loving hug and then the travelers faced the rift.

Gabriel and Lucifer had waited for the chick flicks to end and joined the group.

"Ketch…you're coming?" Dean asked.

"No, I don't think so. Your mother had an excellent point there and I think that my expertise could be needed here as well to fight Michael."

Dean couldn't say he was much sorry to leave Ketch back in this world. This was an unexpected bonus.

"Try not to miss me too much, boy." Ketch grinned shelmishly.

"Well…anybody else wants to stay here? No? Then I'd like to suggest we finally leave this rock for a world were strippers still are a thing to look for," Gabriel suggested.

Suddenly they all felt something chancing in the air. When they looked above they clearly saw a flash approaching from the sky. Every second it came closer it was sure as hell an angel attack was coming down on them. They drew their weapons and waited for the impact to crash. The hot meteor-like smash hurled them off their feed, expect the two archangels who still stood likely straight to look for the arriving brother. Both Gabriel and Lucifer drew her archangel blades and their eyes began to glow intensively.

When the fog cleared up a dark skinned, good looking man in a long brown coat was crawling out of the caldera that was made by his holy fire. He smirked at the group self-confidently.

"Look, look, look. What do we have here? Such a menagerie. Two fallen archangels, a fallen soldier, a half demon, some apes and a Nephilim. One should pay good money for finding all this together in one zoo."

"Then why you don't get back to heaven and grab you purse to get some? We wait here there." Gabriel teased with gritted teeth.

"Gabe. I'd thought I'd never see you again, brother. After you ran away from the family to stroll among these apes. You smell like human from the inside out. That is disgusting."

"You're disgusting. Let yourself get praised like father. What a shame!"

"And Lucifer…still back in game? Didn't I beat you up enough the last time we met? Did you miss it so much to be my punching ball, big brother?"

"Michael. No matter on what world we met: always a dick. Tell me, why did you come here? Just let us go and you have some threats less on your plate."

Lucifer knew very well, that they had no chance against this worlds Michael. He had still the force of all heaven behind him and no brothers to stop him at all. Gabriel was still drained from Asmodeus and he himself was not at his best as well. Not to speak from weak Castiel who was merely a nice appetizer for his brother to start with.

"Well. I sort of heard what the world is like you came from and you know what? I think I should change my plans a bit from here on. Why not going to your wonderful and shiny world without that apocalypse disaster on it, that destroyed half of the planet here and begin to enslave mankind over there? It sounds like a much nicer place. I think I'm gonna like it there. And by the way: That abomination over there: At first I will get rid of this rat. I cannot allow such a heinousness to walk the earth and grow a real threat, can I?"

Lucifer made a step forward. His angel blade right on the spot to start fighting.

"Don't dare to touch my boy!"

"What is it, Lu? You think this ape mixling will love you and the two of you live a happy ever after? Don't be ridiculous! You've never known love, brother. You never will. But I know what you can do best: It's dying!"

With these words Michael attacked in Jack's direction. It was clear that he wanted the Nephilim to die first. Mary took place in the way between the boy and the archangel. Her gun ready and shooting. But Michael was not impressed. He lunged forward and just before he reached Mary he was hustled to the side by Ketch who was then knocking down on Michaels face with his angel beating brass knuckels. The runes of the item were glowing and at least Michael began to blead at his nose. But the next second he grabbed for Ketch's neck and broke it with a fast motion and a horrendous crack noise. He tossed the limb body aside and came up to his feet again.

The time Ketch had bought them was enough for Castiel to get a grip on Jacks jacket and push him through the rift. Also Sam and Castiel himself jumped into the fading light. Dean glanced back at his mother before jumping. Mary had started running into the wood when she saw that her boys would be safe on the other site of the rift. When Michael got up there were only the three archangels left. Michael gave Mary a short glance, then looked back at his brothers.

"I will get her soon. And as well the outworlders. Don't think this means anything to me."

"Yeah…you think?" Gabriel started a jump onto Michael, though he knew he would have not the bit of a chance to beat him. Lucifer was on the jump right to the rift, when he just looked back to his younger sibling attacking the stronger angel. He remembered all the bad things Gabriel said about him lately. About whether this was true or not. If his father had been right to put him in that cage because he was like Cancer to the universe?

Fucking NO! His father, Chuck, couldn't be right! He just couldn't. He wanted to create Jack to show everyone, even himself, that he was capable of being a better father, than God ever had been. That nobody had a clue about what was going inside him and that they all were wrong! He was the victim! He was! Abandoned, betrayed, alone…they had no idea who that had been like!

The rift still was open and Gabriel had no chance against Michael. Lucifer knew that for sure. If he would go through that door Michael would be able to follow. He would be able to follow Jack into his world and destroy everything he wanted for his son. And at least kill his descendant.

He had to decide what to do. This was his choice.

_"It's the choices we make."_

Two big jumps and he was beside Gabriel. One grip and he threw his little brother back to the rift. Next step was to give that bastard a damn good fight. And last time it just was for self-defense. For fate. But this time: he did it for the best of his son. He did it for Jack. To protect him.

They all would see how wrong they had been. His eyes began to glow bright red. His complete figure began to glow in a white, burning light and his wings spread out like the one of a phoenix. Burning, bright and wonderful as they had never shone before. It was the shine of the Morningstar he had forgotten to be. The light was almost blinding Michael.

One last word came over Lucifer's lips:

" **Run!** "

And Gabriel jumped into the rift. Only half a second later it closed and Michael and Lucifer were alone in the wood.

"You will pay for this, brother!" Michael growled his eyes squinted because of the brightness of Lucifer's wings.

"You will pay more!"

A fight began to interrupt on the glade. Eruptions of energy burst through the trees. This was not apocalypse. This was good against evil. And Satan was fighting with the light.

The Morningstar was rising.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gave Lucifer an end that I would have loved to see on the show. I think if someone had given him a reason to stay on a rightous path...it might have worked. At least for Jack. But after being abandoned again and betrayed again...it was clear that he would fall back. 
> 
> He was not strong enough to fight his evil nature.
> 
> So RIP Morningstar


	6. Respect. Freedom.Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more father-son interaction between Cas and Jack.  
> They finally get to meet the flock of Gajael and they are somehow not what Dean had expected.
> 
> We'll see a puzzled Dean in the middle of a flower-power sing-pow-wow.

„Dude, your phone's ringing."

Dean was standing in the kitchen. Coffeepot in the one hand, newspaper in the other. He looked far from awake and gave is brother an annoyed glance. Without his coffee in the morning there was no use in talking to Dean Winchester at all. It totally escaped the older hunters understanding how is brother was able to arise in the morning mostly before the sun does and eventually got outside for some silly running around the bunker. That was healthy in an abnormal level for someone coming by the name Winchester. Almost close to blasphemy.

Sam already had his breakfast with Jack after going for a Jogging-tour and buying gems and today's newspaper. An eyerole later Sam grabbed for Deans Mobile-phone and answered the unknown Call.

He listened to the phone very concentrated and shared a surprised look with his brother. Dean shrugged his shoulders inquiringly as a sign for his wish to know about the person at the other end. But before he got the chance to ask, Sam laid the phone down again.

"What's it?" Dean asked grumpy.

"This was Sayriel. The decision was made."

Dean hated to pull out every word out of the nose of his brother.

"And?"

"We have schedule for a big meeting. And by big I mean: really big."

"Did she say anything else?"

"Yes. The decision was concordant. Surprisingly. They all want to hear us out and apparently they tend to give the request a chance."

"This's actually good news. First time this all would not go sideways at once. Who tells Cas?"

"I give this honor to you, since you mostly seem to bring him the bad news. Would be good to surprise him once."

Dean sighed in relief but pointed his finger towards his cup. First things first. Sam gave it a grin and Dean his Coffee-time.

 

* * *

 

"And then you twist the ankle like this and the opponent has to stay down. If done right, you don't hurt the person, just fix. Dean told me I' m a pretty fast student."

"I guess so, Jack, " Castiel told Jack after the representation of the martial art tricks he just learned during the past lesson. Jack really seemed to enjoy the training with Dean .Castiel had hoped he would have been able to teach the young man the same way Dean did. After being with Dean, Jack was full of joy and his mind blown away with ideas, hope and confidence.

All Castiel could teach him was about Enochian language and writing. Also about some spells. Not that Jack didn't listen or didn't get everything very fast, but the lesson were lacking of the spirit Jack seemed to need to really fall in love with the material.

While thinking about how to improve the studies of Jack to a level more interesting Castiel totally missed, that he just was staring blankly. And his student sitting next to him watching him do so. A question kicked him out of his thoughts: " Castiel, I asked myself if you could teach me more about flying."

Castiel considered the request but then looked down to the table with a sad look in his eyes. He remembered the times when he was able to fly wherever he wanted and the time, when he caught first sight of his broken wings. The feeling of loosing feather by feather and how the pure flesh was touching the air around them like it didn't …ever.

"I'd love to do so, Jack. But you know I cannot use my wings anymore. They're broken. Only bones and flesh."

Jack had never watched his chosen father to show his wings. Castiel kept them hidden all the time. There was no use for him to bring them out on this plane. But Jack would have loved to see how they must have looked like, when Castiel was Captian of a garrison. Full in his armor and flying to the battle without fear. Or when he flew to hell to rescue Dean. How precious they must have been!

"Would you show me?"

"I would prefer not to reveal them. It is not a nice sight to watch. A young one like you should not witness such paltriness.

"If I asked you to?" Jack looked him right in the eyes. His request was honest and Castiel guessed that the boy must have seen worse in Apocalypse Earth. With a deep sigh he stood up and placed himself in the middle of the room. His eyes began to glow light blue and his true form began to break through his mortal shell. The cells began to shine bright as if everyone of it was a micro little spot. His chest rose and fell visibly and he began to unfold his wings. For mortals they showed themselves as thin shadows brought to the wall by the bright light of the body, but for Jack they were touchable like the rest of the vessel, that his father called his body. Jack glanced at Castiel's true form with wide opened eyes and slowly he approached Castiel. The older angel wanted to step back, but Jack shook his head. Castiel gave up to make the border between them remain and allowed the young man in his personal space bubble. Jack reached out his hand and touched Castiel's left wing, which twitched back a little as touched by an external source. Slowly his hand feld up right to the place where one of the last feathers was still attached to the wing. Thewing span was amazing and Jack had moisture in the corner of his eyes.

"They must have been beautiful, Castiel."

"They were. And a rare color they had."

"Raven black with a light shine of blue inside."Jack said when he watched the feather closer.

"Yes. You might not know, but most angels have white or at least whitish feathers. Gabriel has a golden tone in them and they are much bigger, Lucifer's were like the color of the sun. So bright that even for other angels to look at them completely unfolded was hurtful sometimes. Michael's had a soft blue tone like the sky at a clear day. He had the biggest wing-span of all angels."

"And you have black ones?"

"Yes. There are some other Seraphs I know…have known," Castiel sadly added," that had brown color and some grey. But I know no other who had them deep black like mine."

"You were different then?" Jack declared.

"I was told so several times. I always was kinda different."

"How was that?"

Castiel folded his wings again and withdrew back into his vessel. When the light disappeared he thought about the Nephilim's question and didn't find a right answer:

"I don't know. I always asked questions. I wanted to understand what I do and why it is the right thing. And I was told that I often disobeyed, even if only a little."

Jack began to smile a bright smile.

"I was born different too. Maybe this was for a reason .Maybe God created you exactly the way you were because only a rebel could rescue the world. Someone with a big heart that wanted to come out and fight it's way through heaven's rules."

It was a nice thought that Jack had. To think that Chuck had in mind that Castiel would rescue the world. Free Dean from perdition, stop the apocalypse…and bring down Metatron. But Castiel doubted that intensively. How would God have wanted all this suffering in heaven and on earth that was caused by the black winged rebel? But then again: Chuck brought him back more than once knowing exactly what Castiel's mind was about to tick. Could it really be…?

"You know Dean says that your stare is awkward? I kind of understand what he is talking about now."

"Dean finds a lot of things awkward that I do. But you're right. I didn't concentrate well enough on our talking. I do apologize for that."

"You know….I might be able to heal your wings when I'm older and my powers maybe increase. If I ever learn how to heal with them, your wings will be the first thing to fix. I see how you feel about being grounded to the earth. You miss flying, right?"

Castiel's sad answer was: "Yes. I do."

 

* * *

 

"This is really the right place?" Dean watched the coordinates again and the plain he was standing on. There was…well nothing here. No buildings, no hidings, not damn nothing. And a street that barely could be called for one. If he had known about this road of perdition he had refused to take Baby down here. Why the hell didn't they fly down here together with Jack? After all this he would have to give the Impala a close look underbody. And a nice wash. Maybe polish.

Sam studied his phone and checked the coordinates again. He nodded: "This is the right place. Very right on the spot." He showed his brother.

"So...if it is: where are they? Is it the right time? Where the hack can fifty people hide that well? Huh? I think they just wanted to make fun of us and have a nice laugh in some restaurant with a nice cocktail standing in front of them."  _Or not…for angels don't eat at all._

Sam's eyes widened. Castiel and Jack exchanged a short glance and looked virtually surprised.

"What? It's not that they are hiding right behind me, right?"

A very short and somehow amused nod was Sam's answer and Deans eyes began to sideroll.  _Sure as fuck, they were!_

"If I had known you wanted Cocktails at our little Powwow than I had brought some."

When Dean whirled around to face the man who's voice he just heard way to close to his skin, he just looked at a good looking guy in the midtwentys who was giving him a amused grin.

"Fuck! What is that with you angels living in my ass, huh?"

The brows of the man twitched in even more amusement.

"Dear, if I ever was in your butt I'm sure I would remember."

"Would you just stop this? That's…"

A few steps away Castiel had his very special "AH-"moment and a little laughter escaped his throat.

"In your ass…now I get it! It was an innuendo that the two of us …" Dean stopped Castiel instantly: "We all understand it, ok? Not funny! Never was. Sam, stop laughing! I can see you!"

Only Jack remained puzzled about what all the older ones were the heck talking about and nobody was likely to explain. Perhaps he should ask his father about that "in the ass" thing later.

"So. We had a meeting with your big bossy lady. Where is she?"

"Oh, HE is right in front of you."

Dean again exchanged a surprised look with his brother and then glanced at Castiel questioningly. The angel nodded.

"This is Gajael. It seems he has a new vessel. The question is: why?"

"To know that…you could ask me. I'm standing right in front of you and besides: I can hear you, Castiel. And to answer your question: I tend to change my vessels from time to time. So what?"

"What? Are you an angelic fashion victim, or what? Isn't destroying one person's life enough?"

The amusement that had been drawn to Gajael's face only a second ago suddenly vanished.

"Don't speak of things you know nothing about! I could explain, but perhaps you'll figure it out on your own. I'm not in the obligation to render in account of my actions to you, human. To gain our trust you just should stop to judge and start to talk before making silly conclusions without reasonable facts."

With this Gajael turned his back at Dean and began to speak what the hunter guessed was Enochian. A moment later the air began to wobble and a single house appeared right in front of them. It was made of containers and surely not built for looking nice. Three persons were standing right in front of the main entrance and seemed to be waiting the whole time. But like all angels…just standing somewhere and waiting awkwardly appeared to be something all angels were capable of.

"Follow me. I assure you: no harm will come to you or your team."

Sam was the first to pass his astonished looking brother and walking behind the leading angel. The others right on the step behind him. When Castiel reached Dean, the older hunter began to walk again as well.

"What do you think about this? Cas?"

"I've no idea. But I don't think we're in danger."

"Yeah. Let's hope so."

"And Dean?"

"What?"

"Perhaps it would be better to let Sam lead the conversations."

"What?!"

"You are prone to show your hot temper and Sam is mostly way more thoughtful with his words. We shouldn't offend Gajael or one of his followers too much. We have to build up some trust here."

" Are you telling me I'm lacking diplomatic skills?"

Cas overheard the pissed note in Deans voice and simply answered: "I'm happy you accept that Dean." As if it wasn't enough that Cas mistrusted Deans diplomatic senses, which he had, he was sure about that, he also patted his shoulder softly as if Dean needed comfort for what he just heard. Sometimes he could kick Cas in his uptight Casbutt.

Gruffly Dean followed the others into the odd building, right behind a proud smiling Cas. What they didn't see inside was, that the building instantly disappeared the moment they all entered it.

 

* * *

 

Curious eyes watched them closely the moment they entered the big assembly room in the middle of the building. The atmosphere reminded Sam of a gospel church. There was a little stage at one site of the room and a podium with a microphone in the middle of it. A big bundle of sigils was seen on a banner at the back of the stage.

Sam noticed them to be Enochian runes. He asked Castiel for translation.

"It says: Respect. Freedom.Choice"

Gajael pointed them some seats in the first line. The room was completely filled with people from every age, gender and race. Some appeared open minded, some were whispering with a fearful look in their eyes. Some just seemed to wait what the humans would have to say.

The first fallen One went to the podium and switched the microphone on. By clearing his throat audibly he made the room become quite. Sam nearly expected the crowd to stand up and sing some swinging gospel songs and a joyful Halleluiah. But of course that didn't happen…

"My friends. I'm most honored that all of you decided to come here and listen to Castiel and his human friends. It shows how far we walked the new path and what it takes to make choices. First of all: you need information to build up your own opinion and find your own point of view to the things you witness. I'm very proud to see each and every one of you ready to open your heard and build something up out of your own perception. Strength and Choice come with great responsibility and it needs from us to first step back a little and just to listen and watch. "

The room was filled with hushed murmur and a nod here and there. Everyone was very concentrated and Gajael left his place with a friendly and encouraging smile. Castiel stood up. He was still a bit uncertain if it wasn't best to let Sam take this introducing. Though it were his sisters and brothers sitting in front of him, his own kind…he somehow began to grow nervous. He never spoke to a large group like this with an attitude like the one that was written behind him on the big banner.

"Uhm, " he cleared his throat, "me and my companions are most thankful for the chance to speak to all of you. Some of you may have heard about me in the worst way. Some may even have witnessed my darkest days back in heaven…some of you might have fought together with me to avert the apocalypse from earth and from humanity. To all that you heard: most of it is likely true. And the shame, the guild, and the blame, for the suffer I caused to my own kind, I will bare for all eternity. Even if I tried to do the right thing in the past, this will never leave my thoughts. I remember every life I had to end in every fight. Every life I ended possessed by the leviathans without any need and every harm done while Lucifer was inside of me. Every second I hear all the screams and …" Castiel stopped and grabbed for the podium desk in front of him. His voice had broken and one could see that he had to hold back tears running out of his eyes. He took a deep breath and raised his head again to face his siblings. Nobody spoke.

"What I wanted to say is: I can understand, if some of you would not like to listen to what somebody like me has to ask, but I don't do it for myself. I do it for heaven…and for humanity. For all that God sent us to protect. His wonderful creation. This planet and the humans living on it. Just listen for what I have to ask and don't judge the embassy by the bearer."

Again he stopped to wait if anybody would say something. But everyone in the room was waiting patiently. Nobody whispered or gave him bad looks. He'd never expected such. He'd awaited some angels shouting at him, saying that he should leave. That he was not in the position to ask anything of them. But they didn't. There was no hate he could feel. Just waiting.

"Ok. Uhm…A few weeks ago I visited heaven for I wanted to ask for help to find Gabriel, who still is alive."

Now a big rumor began to spread in the group and Cas suspected that the most of them didn't know the last fact he just revealed. Perhaps it was good to begin with something like good news before he was going to tell how bad the situation in heaven was.

"Yes, I know. I was happy to hear that too. We all thought that Lucifer had killed him, but you know Gabriel: always when you think you've got him, he has another trick up in his sleeves. Anyway, I had to find out, that Naome was still very alive too. Nobody knew it besides a few trusted ones. She sort of ran the things in heaven. I cannot tell I was happy to see her and it might be that some of you had some experiences with her division, like I had."

Some people nodded slightly and didn't look very happy about that special news. Castiel continued:

"I was informed, that the known number of angels, me included, was about nine individuals left of all angels ever created and that heaven is about to fall apart about it."

Some hisses were heard among the angels. Two or three had tears in their eyes and some others leaned to their neighbors to get comforting hold on them. Castiel let the shock sink in and waited for the crowd to calm down a little. Some individuals began to shush the others for they wanted to hear what else Castiel had to tell.

"I suppose you all are very well warded against heaven's detections. Thanks to Gajael. And I still didn't inform heaven about you, for I was remembered that to show yourself is a matter of free will. But I ask you now: would you consider giving heaven your support? To return back to our old home and fill it with enough life to end the down-shut of the covens that contend the human souls? And with that rescue the earth from lost souls haunting the living ones? "

A young woman raised her hand like a child in a school class. Castiel didn't know what to do about that exactly but he guessed that, for he was standing in the front, he was supposed to give the speech to her. He nodded and hoped she would understand. The woman stood up slowly and folded her hands shyly in front of her lap.

"We all want to save the humans souls from falling. It would be horrendous for humanity if the covens open up. But I think the most of us still have one important question before we can deliberate on your request."

"You can ask any question."

"Is Naome still in charge? Did you find Gabriel?"

"That actually were two questions, " Castiel determined blandly.

Sam let his hand slip down his face with agony.  _Cas, really_?! But he forgot that he was amongst angels because the next that happened was:

"I apologize for being not precisely to that matter," the woman said very seriously.

"Not a problem. First: Yes, Gabriel was found and second: he is currently in charge in heaven with Naomi under his leadership and hopefully control."

An old man was raising his hand in the same manner as the woman.

"Yes?" Castiel asked politly.

"I dunno how the others think about that but spoken for myself: with Naome still in charge with anything I will not get a single foot upstairs, not speak of my grace-energy open to heavens control. No offence, brother."

"No offence taken. I think your point to be totally understandable. Is anybody else with our brothers concern for his safety with Naome in any duty?"

At first only a few hands were raised, but when heartened up by the bravery of the others nearly all angels had their arms up in the air.

Sam and Dean turned around to see what the crowd's opinion about that Naomi-bitch was and they couldn't tell that they weren't pleased by what they saw. It made everyone in the room instantly appearing more and more congenial by thinking that they shared their thoughts for this douchebag of an angel. Dean smirked by the thought that he would be the first to raise his hand when it came to the question who would like to kill that bitch.

"Who is Naome?" Jack's question disturbed Dean's thoughts about the multiple ways of shredding assbutt-lady into little pieces for everything she did to Cas. Luckily Sam was the first to answer the Nephilim: " We can't explain to you right now, but she was something like the chief of heavens CIA-squat. And she was kinda the "I do what must be done" type."

"Why is my father and all the others so upset with her? What did she do?"

Sam sighed. This really wasn't a slight talk for a short break. This was something requiring more time to explain. So he just told him:" Let's say: she forced people, angels, to do things they refused to do. Things that were wrong. And she did so with rude force and torture. She violated everything these people are believing in."

"Was Castiel one of the angels tortured?" Jack asked hesitantly and with a sorrowful look to his father. Sam only nodded and patted Jack's shoulder to sign him that he would give him the chance to ask more questions about that later. Jack swallowed. There still was so much he didn't know about Castiel. And most of it was about suffering, death and agony. He slowly became aware why his father so often had such a sorrowful look in his eyes when he thought nobody would give attention to him. As if there was a burden to his shoulders too heavy to bear but unable to shake it off.

Gajael walked up to the podium and released Castiel, who had started to shift his weight from one leg to another nervously showing he was uncomfortable with his position. Relieved he headed back to his seat and took place again. Gajael took a long gaze around her people and finally he began to speak again:

"So…we all heard what the situation in heaven is about and how desperately we are needed to keep at least the covens running. Before you decide I give you this: think for what reason father made us! It wasn't to rule the planet and surely not to enslave its inhabitants. It wasn't to kneel in front of the humans, like Lucifer got it all wrong. We were built to be protectors. To be guardians and companions! Our mission…our nature is to protect and to nurse. Even our warrior-class siblings only had the duty to protect the creation father made. Now we have the chance to create our own fate! To build up heaven like it was meant to be from the beginning. Not for the ego of some archangels or the fear of people like Naome. We can do this like a blossom coming new and raising with brightest colors of our own choice. Free and happy in a purpose, that gives us what we need to feel graced. Humanity shall never live in fear of heavens wrath again! That's not our duty. We're not here to judge the creation. We're supposed to be like older siblings. We watch the younger ones learn how to walk and to run. Sometimes when they fall we may help 'em up. When they pray to us their sorrows we listen and give comfort with our presence. Nor more killing in the name of heaven and no more mind-controlling. We choose our fate. I will do it! Who is with me?"

A noise of chairs scratching on the floor could be heard in the room. Man by man, woman by woman every person in the room was raising from his or her seat nodding. " _Yes_ " , " _I'll be with yo_ u" and similar speaking was whispered and then the angels began to grab for the hand of the one standing next to them. After less than a minute everyone in the room was holding hands with the people around and with that, the whole group was bonded as one. When it came to the Winchesters and a friendly looking old woman offered her hand Sam got hold on it without hesitation. He grabbed Dean's hand, who surely hated such emotional shit like hell, but walked the line. Next to him in line was Jack and beside the young angel was Castiel. Gajael came down to the first line and took Castiel's free hand in his own and closed the long circle by grabbing for the hand of an angel in the line behind.

A humming began to rise. It was very quiet but strange in sound. Dean and Sam realized that their ears began to hurt. Gajael at once realized that and decided to remind the others:"Human voice! We have guests!"

The vibration was changing and the pain was floating away. The hum changed into a singing tone and rose and fell in slow waves. Similar to the wave the people began to swing back and forth slightly and even Dean could not resist to close his eyes when the emotions that flew through the line of hands was reaching him. He was not sure if that only happened in his head but it felt like a warm and fuzzy trembling that was crawling up his fingers, walking up his spine and filling his heart with faith. That surely was the most chick flick moment in his entire life and unexpected it didn't feel invading. Holding hands with some angels and his brother and singing some love song around…if Sam ever would tell anybody about that he would kick his ass 'til next Monday.

At his site Jack began to giggle. Dean opened one eye suspicious at what the Nephilim was laughing about.

"Stop thinking so funny, Dean. That kinda tickles," Jack whispered without opening his eyes.

_Fuck!_  Was he sending his embarrassment right through that line? He had wished Gajael had warned him about that. He calmed himself down and tried to think about his relief about that probably heaven would not let all souls fall down and create a nice "walking dead" experience for everyone on the planet. He thought about how proud he was that Cas had been talking to his siblings so openly and how sad it had made him to hear how haunted his friend's thoughts still were.

Castiel tightened his grip on Deans hand and somehow Dean was sure, that Castiel now knew how bad Dean wished that he was able to recover from all that emotional suffering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is already in the making. I also finished the skript for the next episode. I don't know how many chapers I will need to finish this episode. Maybe two or three.
> 
> Question: I would have an idea for a Destiel Episode a canon way. Place it in this series or make it an lonely standing one. What ya think?


	7. The Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have understandable conditions for showing themself to heaven...let alone help.
> 
> Again some meeting with sassy Gabriel...cheerful leader of heaven....cough...cough...A lot more fun in this... I liked to write it a lot  
> I hope you will like him and Gajael together.
> 
> But some bad flashback as well...a nearly break up between Cas and Jack...I will work on a really hard hit in the next flashback. It first has to get worse before it can get better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last finished chapter so far. I am working on the next ones...but I need some feedback...push and feedback if I should go on with the story.
> 
> Feedback would be great!!!!

 

**Chapter 7**

 

After the session everyone left the building with a happy smile on his lips. They had made their decision and most of the angels started to chat a bit in front of the building now. It was still in the middle of the day and the sun was still shining bright. Some children were running around and laughter could be heard.

Dean wondered what it was that had made the children say yes to an angel. A knot tightened inside his stomach. It wasn't right to take away a children's life. It just wasn't. He couldn't hold back and walked to the point he saw Gajael standing. He coughed behind the angelic leader, which made her stop her resent conversation.

"On a word in private." He asked her.

"Course." She gave the angel she just had been talking to a short sign and he vanished the place.

"I see something is still bothering you. What is it?" She seemed to be earnestly interested. Her now manly vessel showed a worried face-expression.

"Yeah, well, it didn't escape my attention, that there are children among your people."

"And that concerns you because?"

"They're children! They're not supposed to make a choice like letting an angel in on their own! They cannot foresee the consequences like an adult. They just think of angels like fluffy nice fellows and that it would be nice to be one. Your people should let them go."

"I…understand. Would you mind following me?"

Dean gave her a look like the hell he would, but he didn't say anything and walked behind the not so she-like meatsuite of Gajael towards the group of playing children.  
Sam standing in another corner of the large, wide spread group got attention of his brother heading the group of children and he foreboded what his foolish older sibling was about to do. The younger Winchester excused himself to the angels he just had talked to and began to hurry to reach Dean before he could say or worse DO anything stupid to ruin all their achievements.

"Sophie, " Gajael spoke with clear voice," would you be so kind to join me and Mr. Winchester for a second?"

The angel wearing the vessel of a apparently eight year old girl came closer and looked at Dean curiously. Dean felt somehow irritated.

"Sophie? That doesn't sound like an angel's name."

The girl began to giggle and closed her eyes slightly in amusement. Then she gave Dean a bright,friendly…and childish smile when she answered: "That's because it isn't an angels name you fool!"

"I beg you pardon?"

"Sophie is MY name. The name of the angel that lives with me is Immanuel. Do you want to talk to him?"

Dean looked at her a bit astonished and confused but managed to answer: "Yes?" It more came out like a question. Sam shared a curious look with his brother and was happy, that nothing too bad had happened yet. The girl closed her eyes for another short second and then opened them again. Dean and Sam both noticed the slight change in the aura of the child. Also something in her face-expression had changed. From one moment to the next Dean felt like looking in the eyes of someone else. It reminded him of the time when Gadreel was in Sam's Body and came to the surface, when he wanted to talk to him.

"What can I help you with?" Even the voice of the girl had managed to transform into something older on a mystical level.

"You are the angel? The angel, that posses this child?"

"I wouldn't term it like that, but I think the answer to that question should be yes. You seem to be uncomfortable with me. Why is that?"

Sam grabbed Deans sleeve and hissed into the ear of his brother: " Please, Dean, it was so difficult to get here and find them…don't ruin everything by using your hot temper to run the show. Be civil for once!"

 _A bit more trust, Sammy,_ Dean thought annoyed.

"Actually: yes. I don't like the thought of angels possessing children-bodies al lot. I'd lie to you, if I'd tell you otherwise." At least the older hunter was successfully hiding is pissed composure quiet good. He knew he mustn't destroy their last hope for helping the heavenly problem, but he couldn't let his concerns go unacknowledged.

A helpless look directed to Gajael was the reaction to the harsh words, Dean had used to address the girl-angel. Gajael gave Immanuel a smile: " Just tell him how you met Sophie. I think you would be a great help and an ambassador for our mission. And you would help the human to understand what the difference is between us and the rest of the host, when it comes to the choice of our vessels." Immanuel nodded.

"I met Sophie while watching the streets of a city. I was overwhelmed by all the noise and the chatter and all these souls free and around me. Then I heard a prayer. It was so hushed and more like a plea. The soul it came from was so pure and warm…and weakening. I searched for the source and found a car accident. Sophie was trapped in the backseat of the car. Her mother in the front seat…heavy injured and her Father was dead. Her prayer was not for her own sake…she wanted her parents to be safe. I couldn't let her die. So I showed myself to her in the hope she would be able to bare me. She did...and we bonded. So I was able to help her healing. I was weak…I couldn't do it just by touching her shortly."

Dean listened to the story that Immanuel just had told and is anger was about to vanish word by word. He imagined this nice and sweet girl terrified, and captured by the fear for her parents and her own life. This fragile little life, so lovely and caring.

"What happened to her mother?"

Immanuel pointed to the group he had come from. A young woman was standing there. Not before that very second Dean recognized she was looking at them very closely and a bit concerned too.

"I called for another sibling nearby because the mother was deadly injured too. She as well was able to be a vessel. And the two of them hosted our grace since that day. They saved us, like we saved them. They showed us everything we know about humanity. They gave us a voice among humans and the ability to exist here on earth. We are family."

Dean all of a sudden had a big knot in his stomach. He had been ready to judge before knowing anything about the relationship between this angel and his vessel. He had shown a prejudice that he hoped he had lost years ago.

But when Immanuel just spoke this truth of being family with his human, being chosen into their family and welcomed…Dean knew exactly what they felt. He just knew it by looking in the girls…the angels eyes. And he should know…

_Family doesn't end with blood. And it does not begin with it either._

"I think I should go back. Sophie wants to be with her mother and her friends again. I was able to help, I hope?"

Immanuel exchanged a worried look with Gajael and the older angel nodded. The eyes of the girl just glowed up, nearly too short to notice, and the bold smile came back to the child's face.

"It was nice to meet you, Dean. Don't be angry with Immanuel. He's nice. He is a good friend. And I really would be sad if he'd go away. He always supports me when I need it." And with a mischievous glance she added: "But he won't help me with my homework or with tests in school. He tells me this would be cheating."

Then she ran away happily and Dean felt a warm feeling inside he had felt the last time, when Sammy was in that age. He always had loved children. And he could tell that that was a happy little being. When he saw her with her mother, embracing each other he knew, that he had been wrong about these people. He had a feeling about being wrong about Gajael too.

"This is your big trick, isn't it?"

"Big trick?" Gajael asked back, surprised expression in her…his face.

"A story like this is with all of you, isn't it? And the reason why you had changed your vessel?"

A mild smile appeared on the angels face and she nodded her male vessels head…then looked back at Sophie and her mother.

"I change my vessels often. I don't want to ruin their lifes and stay with them for centuries. It is impossible for a human being to adjust to a new decade after such a long time. But my taste is different to Immanuel's. I search for the mentally wounded. My last companion was found by me on the reeling of a bridge. She was about to jump. Standing there. In the middle of the night. She'd lost something very precious and she wasn't able to cope with that. She wasn't able to heal inside. All she wanted was peace and silence to rest her thoughts and to forget. So I made her the offer to be with her…make her life quiet and give her the change to rest. So we were for over ten years. She needed that long to find a reason to live on her own again. And then we found him together." Gajael pointed towards her own chest and then said:" He was devastated emotionally. My offer was made again and I left my old companion and joined another one."

"Why?"

"The human life is so precious. And your emotions are so wonderful! Every single one of them. To end a life because of them…I cannot endure to see that and don't do something about it. It is just too sad."

Sam was attached. He couldn't imagine to be with destroyed souls again and again out of free will. That needed strength. And a lot of it, he thought. He was curious:" You have been on earth for more than ten-thousand years…how many vessels did you have over all that time?"

"I stopped counting them. But it were many. And always worth the wait for their recovery. And Sam…they all found their light back. Every. Single. One. Of them."

It only was a short moment, but Dean and Sam both felt as if Gajael had read their minds again and had seen what was inside of them. All the dark they had seen. All the suffer and loss. The abyss still licking at the back of their consciousness and all the strength it took to stay away from it and go back to the light.

"I see."

"I am glad that we could show you the nature of our striving and what it is we would want for heaven to be. We should hurry now. Let's meet tomorrow and arrange a gathering with Gabriel. We should talk about terms for our help and should go to work as soon as possible!"

Dean and Sam nodded. It was about damn time to get to action.

 

* * *

 

"Really a nice place you have here. Cozy."

Castiel let Gajael down the stairs into the war room of the bunker. He had spoken to Gabriel and told him that he had something important to discuss, but didn't say a word about the banished angel. He hoped the best that this would not end in some fighting but he knew Gabriel well enough. He was a trickster and yes, he liked to play, but even he knew when there was no time for games anymore."

Dean, Sam and Jack already were sitting at the war table in expectation for the next things to come. Gajael and Castiel took seats too and they waited.

Dean began to tab the table with his fingers impatiently.

"You told Gabriel to meet here?"

"Yes, Dean."

"And you told him the right time."

"Dean! Will you just wait without complaining like a child?"

Dean grimaced at Castiel and forming a slight  _nahnahnah_  with his lips. That only earned an eyeroll from the angel and a sigh from his brother.

"You guys really should…what the hell?!" Gabriel stood at the edge of the table, eyes wide with surprise. Gajael glared back. Nobody in the room dared to breathe. This was it…this was the moment of truth. Slowly Gabriel began to turn around the table and headed to the old angel.

Dean really tried to guess what the trickster was thinking. At least he was not about to unsheathe his angel blade. That should be good news. Even Castiel didn't move and inch.

The archangel stopped in front of Gajael and hesitated. Then the lower angel raised and both began to lift their arms. Sam was on the edge of jumping up and Dean already had his hand at his gun but then the two angels embraced each other and began to laugh.

_What the actual fuck?_

"You crazy old chick, you! I told the others: no way she's dead! I knew it!"

"Heard you did a trick or two about that too, brother." she mused.

"Nice vessel, you have!" Gabriel just clapped the tight backside of the young man with his hands and a big grin all over his face. " Doing the bongabonga with him?"

"Gabriel..we're not alone! I beg you." She laughed. Dean instantly wished to get this out of his head again.

"What's about the intervention here?" Gabriel asked and took the last free seat at the war table besides Gajael.

"Heard rumors you could need a hand or two with keeping the covens intact upstairs. Thought: After some millennia I could finally say the old butts above a nice and warm hello again."

"You?" Gabriel began to laugh like this had been the best joke he'd ever heard. Nobody joined him. After some seconds he cleared his throat.

"Seriously…you would go back? It's not that I don't find that offer of you not spectacular and generous, but you are one more angel. Not that your grace would not help at all, but…"

"She is more than 50, actually," Sam added before Gabriel would return to heaven without hearing them out.

"50? What the fuck?" Gabriel's mood changed instantly. He knitted his brows together and his lips formed a thin line.

"We thought we were close to extinction and you hide 50 of our brothers and sisters? Force us to close the gate of heaven temporally and squeeze our asses out for the last juice we have to keep the machine going?"

"I didn't know it was that bad, Gabriel. And I didn't know you were in charge."

"What's the difference about who is in charge? You are a rogue, but I'd never imagine you as someone who'd like to see heaven breaking apart."

"The angels in my charge are terrified, Gabriel. The most of them were on the row from the wars in heaven. All this hate between the fractions…the constant danger of being "reeducated" if they stepped out of line. Ask Castiel how he liked it to be treated by your precious Naomi!"

Gabriel took seat again and bared his face into his palms on the table.

"I know. She's a pain. If we were more…I'd love to kick her ass to next Monday. Believe me. I heard from others…read it in Castiel…saw it by myself. But we need her:"

"What for?"

"She has the most inside knowledge in heaven right now. She knows how everything ticks. She somehow hold it together when it was about to fall apart. The others trust her…even if they fear her."

Gajael shook her head. She seemed upset.

"I see. But there is this, Gabriel: We don't want anything. No terms for our help or the return to heaven, but one: Naomi has to be imprisoned. Immediately. Before this isn't done, none of us will return and you have to find another way."

"You know what? You've been a pain in the ass too," Gabe whined.

"I know."

Dean cleared his throat demonstratively and looked at Gabriel: "Gabe, look. This is the best shot you'll get, isn't it? And to hell with Naomi! This bitch should've died years ago! She can call herself lucky to be imprisoned only for what she did to Cas and all the others! You can do this without her. C'mon, man!"

"I knoooow. But I don't want to." Gabriels forhead knocked at the table in a slow pace. Sam smiled amused about Gabes behaviour.

"That means I've to stay upstairs and do paperwork-thingy-things…and organize stuff and eewwww…this is disgusting. That's torture! That's worse as hell!"

Dean wasn't sure if Gabriel wasn't about to cry every moment and Castiel looked at the archangel very puzzled. Sam, sitting on the other site of Gabriel padded the shorter man's shoulder with understanding. But he could't hold back a big smile: "You should go get yourself some hot secretaries to make things more comfortable," Sam joked.

Gabriel raised his head abruptly, cupped Sams face with his two hands and gave him a big and wet kiss on the surprised lips. Sam backed off as fast as he could and wiped his mouth with his sleeve very soundly: "Dude! Yikes!"

Castiel leaned over to Gabriel and told him very seriously: "There is this thing about personal space. Humans are very fond of it."

"Whatever! Samsquatch is right! I need secretaries. Hot ones! And I have the best source to get some!"

"Gabe? Heaven? Gajael?" Dean was about to punch this archyangel right in the face in that very second.

"Yes,yes,yes…Naomi in jail. Granted. I didn't like her much anyway. I can't think of anyone who does. And now I have to go back and have preparations to make for building up my new and great office. Oh this will be awesome!"

"Gabe?"

"Don't worry your beautiful hair about it, Sammy. I will get in touch when Naomi is out of the way and Gajael's flock can come home. I will also give you the location to the actual entrance to heaven."

"But…" Dean wasn't able to finish his question.

They looked at each other with blank expressions and finally Castiel began to massage his nose-bridge: "Why do I have this slight feeling this is going to end catastrophically?"

Gajael lent back in her seat and folded her arms behind her head: "I don't know what you mean. Gabe is ok. He got this. I will make arrangements too. We have to prepare our move-in in heaven."

Dean looked at Gajael worriedly: "What is about the vessels?"

"Depends. Some will go with the vessels, others will let them go if they are ready to be left." I can't decide this for them. There is a lot of work to do."

She araised and walked towards the front door. She only stopped to give Castiel a last word: " Soon you will be the only angel left on earth, Castiel. Besides some reapers and Cupids. You're ok with that?"

Castiel didn't know. So he didn't answer.

 

* * *

 

_**Flashback:** _

 

"You left him behind on purpose!" You never liked Lucifer!" Jack yelled at Dean.

"Jack,…" Castiel tried to calm down the Nephilim.

"No! You're the worst of all! You pretended to love me, but you didn't want to share my love with Lucifer! You're not even my real father, Castiel."

 _Ouch…that hurt_ , Dean thought with a worried glare at his angelic friend. The hand Castiel had reached out to touch Jack went back to his side.

"Jack,…" Castiel tried again, but couldn't bring himself to say more.

"Leave me alone! All of you. I have to think."

And with that Jack vanished from the bunker. Castiel didn't even blink. Dean felt like he should say something to comfort his friend, but he had no idea what to say. Sam, as always was the first to find words: "Cas, he didn't mean it. He is hurt and sad and just points his anger to the first person he can think of. He didn't mean what he said."

"I'm not so sure. Lucifer was able to bond more with him in two days than I did in weeks, it seemed."

"That only appeared so. It is always easy to nice-talk to someone. But to raise someone, have issues with someone and give lead is more difficult and of course is not only smooth. Give him some hours. He will see and come back."

Castiel looked up at the younger hunter with a hurt expression. He wasn't able to tell how much of being an aim to the young half-angel he could bare to live with.


End file.
